You Redeem Me
by anhanninen
Summary: Dr. Carlisle Cullen moves from the big city to Forks as a favor to his best friend, Edward. Though he misses his old life, can the presence of Edward's sister, Esme, in his new life make him a new man? AH R/R
1. 1st Chapter

You Redeem Me now has **two** betas! I'd like to thank MelissaMargaret and HollettLA for being my betas. I never realized certain mistakes I've made while writing. They are absolutely wonderful and deserve to be bowed down to for all the work they are putting into this for me.

Before you read **WARNING!** This story contains some violence. The story is about healing, so nothing is descriptive, but it is mentioned in multiple chapters. It revolves around Esme healing from abuse and sexual assault, so if you'd rather not read that, back out now. Once again, there are no graphic descriptions of said acts.

It's also rated M for adult situations, language, and LEMONS in the future, nice lemons to, so be warned.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

Forks, Washington was a small town located in the heart of the Olympic Peninsula between the Olympic Mountains and Pacific Ocean. With a population of about three thousand people, it was the epitome of a small town even down to the three police officers and everyone knowing your name and status.

I didn't wake up one day and think "How about I move to the smallest and rainiest town I can find on Google?" No, I never intended to finish my residency and move to a place where my years of trauma surgery training would go to waste. I was asked here by a good friend, a fellow doctor with whom I went to school back east in Boston. His name is Edward Masen and if I didn't love him like a brother, I'd probably rather kill him for dragging me here.

It's not that I don't enjoy the small town life or the amazing scenery because I do. I just missed the fast pace of my old life. Honestly, I wasn't giving up anything except a job at one of the best hospitals in the country. I had no family and Edward was basically my only friend. I was needed here now, so I came with every intention of leaving once I was no longer needed.

"Catch!" Edward yelled, throwing a wadded up piece of paper at me. We were sitting at the nurse's station in the middle of the abandoned ER. It was just us and three nurses who were nowhere in sight. I quickly caught the wad of paper before it could make contact with my head.

"How old are you again?" I asked.

"Thirty-five. You?"

He smirked, running a hand through his mane of untamable bronze hair. The man needed a haircut since I met him when I was seventeen. That was fourteen years ago and my third year as an undergraduate. Yes, I was that kid who skipped a few grades and went to college before he could even drive, all so I could have an amazing career as one of the world's best trauma surgeons. I was now working in just about every department of the hospital – my most routine surgical procedure being a hernia repair. It wasn't very amazing or glamorous, but it at least it helped the patient.

Isn't that what I had wanted when I was younger? To just help people who couldn't help themselves?

"Carlisle? Are you even listening to me?" He snapped his fingers in front of his own face. I knocked his feet off the counter with a smirk.

"I recall you saying something about your sister?" I asked, trying to remember what he had been saying.

"Yeah, Esme, you remember her right?"

I nodded. I remembered Esme perfectly.

She was younger than me by five years and nine years younger than Edward. Esme was still a teenager when I met her for the first time. I was twenty-two and Edward and I were in our last year of medical school at Harvard. She had been visiting, touring the campus since she was a junior in high school. I felt like a pervert the first time I saw her. She was beautiful with caramel-colored hair that was cut to her shoulders in waves and green eyes the same shade as her brother's. I was enamored with her, and I felt horrible for it because she was still a minor. I still wondered if she was just a few years older, and wasn't my best friend's sister, what would have happened. She liked me – I knew she did. You could tell by the way she would blush any time I entered a room in our small apartment. Lord help her, she was so amazing.

"Anyway, I'm trying to convince her to move here and dump that jackass of a boyfriend. She's so fucking stubborn, though. 'Oh, I love the city' she says." He scoffed. "It's Seattle! Honestly, what is there to love about it?"

"I like it."

He smirked. "Yeah, because you hate it here."

"I don't hate it here," I said. "I just miss the bigger cities."

"I know you have privileges at Harborview." He laughed. "Are you hoping to jump ship?"

"I'm not going anywhere," I replied. "The privileges are for our patients that this hospital doesn't have the capabilities to treat. If they need a better hospital, I can treat them there."

"And that lease I just so happened to see on the counter in the kitchen a few days ago?"

"You went through my briefcase?"

"No! You had it out."

"It was just a thought. You never know when you might need a place to stay in Seattle," I lied.

I had considered renting the place and moving to Harborview permanently, but I wasn't going to do that. I was needed here. The privileges were for our patients.

Forks was a small town and, if a patient needed a better hospital, I could still treat them there. The residents of Forks trusted me, and many were small-town minded. They didn't trust easy and, when I first arrived, it was hard for any of them to let me examine them because I was new. If something happened to one of them, such as an injury we couldn't treat here, I could still be their doctor.

"Yeah, whatever." He rolled his eyes. "So how do I convince her to move here?"

"It doesn't sound like she wants to."

"No shit, Sherlock," he replied. "It's that boyfriend of hers; he's a controlling dickhead. I don't even know why she's with him."

"Sounds to me like you're feeling a little left out." I smirked. "She's a grown-up Edward. She doesn't need her big brother to protect her anymore."

"See, that's where you're wrong. She does need me to protect her – from that asshole. He's bad news, I can feel it."

"Have you even met him?"

"No, but she's called me crying in the middle of the night multiple times in the past few weeks because of him. She started to ask me to come get her on the last call, and then she abruptly changed her mind when I heard a door slam." He paused. "I'm actually worried."

"Is he hurting her?" I asked, suddenly feeling a rage I had never felt before.

"I hope to God not. I'm going to visit her this weekend and try to figure out a way to get her here. She might like it here."

"She's an interior designer, Edward. How will she make a living here?" I asked.

"She could open a flower shop. God knows, she's always loved flowers. When she was little, that was her dream."

"She's an adult, Edward. Don't you think it's up to her what she wants in life?"

He glared. "You're supposed to be my friend, agree with me for Christ's sake."

"Fine, I agree with you; and if you do get her to move here, I'll move out."

"I didn't say that."

"I'm not being rude by saying that. I just mean if you can get her to move here, he can live with you until she finds her own way. God knows. I need to. How long have I been mooching off of you now?" I asked with a laugh.

"You pay half the mortgage, which means it's not mooching. But thanks, man. That gives me options."

"For what it's worth, I hope you can get her away from her boyfriend… if he's as bad as you say."

"I'm pretty sure he's worse."

"We have a patient!" Marcy, one of the nurses, smiled as she laid a chart on the counter.

"Mine," I said, taking the chart before he could. At this point, it could be a kid with a crayon up his nose and I'd be happy.

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><p><strong>Please Review...<strong>


	2. 2nd Chapter

A/N: Oh my thank you all for the reviews! I'm glad you like it so far! Once Esme comes into the story, the chapters will get longer, but right now there's only so much to write.

**Thank you! **To my fantastic betas HolletLA and MelissaMargaret.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

Edward was in Seattle visiting Esme so I was alone, with not much to do, on one of my only days off. I really needed to find my own place to be honest. Edward's place was small, containing three bedrooms. One for him, one for me, and the last was turned into an office space we shared on occasion. If Esme did move here, I'd need to go or else she wouldn't have a room.

So that was my goal for the day. Find a small house to rent, not buy. I had the money to buy, but I didn't want a home here. I would just have to sell it once I leave, and with that came the hassle of finding a buyer in a market that no one was buying in. So, I had made an appointment with a friend of Edward's.

Rosalie McCarthy was one of the few realtors in town. She was also married to one of the EMT's in the town. Emmett was great. I guess I considered him a friend of sorts. He was one of the few people I saw every day, and he was always someone to laugh with. The man was hilarious… and huge. He was pure muscle, and coached Forks High's football team in the fall and the baseball team in the spring. He and Rose were great with kids. In fact, she was thirteen weeks pregnant. They had been elated to say the least when I gave her the news from the blood test. They had been worried she possibly couldn't have kids because they had been trying for so long. It was a definite blessing.

"Carlisle!" Rose greeted me.

I was meeting her outside of her small office in town. We were going to look at a few places, and hopefully find one I would be moving into within the next few weeks.

"Hey, Rose, how are you?"

"Good, I promise not to throw up on you, but to be safe let's take my car." She laughed looking over my shoulder at my Mercedes. It was one of the few things I dared to spend good money on. It was an E550 sedan in black with a black interior. I loved my car.

"Sounds good to me," I said, following her to her little Prius.

"So, I have three houses for you to look at, all two bedrooms. One is close to town, and the other two a little further. We'll start with the furthest if that's okay?"

I smiled. "Of course."

The first house was just… not for me, let's just say. The second was even worse, and I highly doubted the third would be any better.

Rose, of course, apologized for the limited houses available, but it wasn't her fault that this town wasn't much for nice homes. I hadn't expected much – more than what I saw, but I wasn't disappointed.

It was just another reason I needed to move away. I would give the hospital time to find someone to take my place, but I had just about decided to get away from this town as fast as I could. The condo in Seattle that I had inquired about was still available, and it was only minutes from Harborview Medical Center, where I had already been offered a position as an attending trauma surgeon.

I wanted to go now. Leave today and never look back on this town, but I couldn't do that to Edward. He asked me to come here because he needed me. The entire hospital needed me, and I couldn't let this community down. Not until another doctor was hired.

But that could take months. Just like me, not many other doctors wanted to move to such a remote town remote town. I still couldn't understand why Edward would. Yes, he now had a reason to stay. Her name was Bella and he was head over heels in love with the high school teacher, but to move here for no reason, why would he want that? He is an amazing doctor. I know he had offers with some great hospitals before he decided to come here. He wasn't even offered a position to come to Forks. He just came and was, of course, given a job in the scarcely staffed hospital.

What was so amazing about a small town?

"I'm sorry, Carlisle. I'll keep looking, but I'm guessing your best option to find what you're looking for would be to build," Rose said as we left the third house and went back to her office. I had been right. It was just as bad as the others.

"I'm not interested in anything long term."

"I know, but this town would love for you to stay."

"I'm only here temporarily. Once the hospital finds someone else, I'm going to go. It's nothing except for the fact I'm just not cut out for small towns."

"I get it. I grew up here so it's all I know and I love it, but I can see your point. If I find anything I'll give you a call alright?"

I smiled. "Thanks for trying," I told her as my phone rang. "I'm going to go, but I'll see you around. Talk to Dr. Snow about the nausea." I pulled the phone out as I walked towards my car. It was Edward so I answered.

"Hey," I said.

He sighed. "She won't see me."

"Esme won't see you?" I asked, completely confused.

Edward and Esme were close. Well, what I assumed a close sibling relationship would be like. I wouldn't know from experience. They were bonded. Edward helped raise her since their parents were… well workaholics who cared more about their jobs than their children. I knew for certain Edward hadn't spoken to either of them in years. Esme I wasn't sure about, but the fact was they were close. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't see him.

"No, she won't even open the goddamn door. This isn't right Carlisle. That's not my sister."

"She has to come out eventually," I assured him.

"I know," he said. "That's why I'm waiting."

"Are you sure she's there?"

"I heard moving in the apartment, and when I called her cell phone, I could hear it. She's in there. I know she is. I just don't know why she won't see me." I could picture him pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Maybe she knows why you're there. You said yourself she's stubborn. Try giving her space. Maybe invite her to dinner and go back to your hotel," I suggested.

"Yeah, I might try that. I'm worried, though. She is stubborn, but she's not someone who hides away. She would come out, get in my face, and tell me to leave if that was the issue."

"I don't know, Edward. She's your sister. You know her best."

"Can you try calling her?" he asked.

"Why me?"

"She might answer."

"I can try," I said. "Text me her number."

"Call me back. Thanks, man," he said as the line went dead. Seconds later my phone buzzed with a text. I went ahead and called the number, doubting she'd answer.

"Hello," a soft voice said.

"Esme?"

"Yes, can I help you?"

"It's Carlisle Cullen."

"Oh… just tell Edward to go home," she said as the line went dead once more. The Masen's didn't seem to say goodbye. Like brother like sister I suppose.

Well, that went exactly as I had thought it would. If she wouldn't talk to her brother why would she have spoken to me?

She didn't sound like she used to. The Esme I had first met was always so happy. This woman just sounded sad. Maybe Edward did have a reason to be concerned. This wasn't his Esme. What kind of spell did this boyfriend have over her?

For Esme to deny Edward – to cut him out of her life, even for a day, wasn't something I could imagine the Esme, I knew doing. I called Edward back. He wasn't happy and didn't plan to leave Esme's building until she came out. It was probably a good idea. He needed to get to the bottom of this.

Hours later I was sitting on the couch eating popcorn and watching some horrible movie. This was what my life was like now days. Fantastic right?

Edward hadn't called again so I had hoped maybe Esme let him in. When my phone rang a little after seven it was the hospital. My only day off, and I was called back in. It was a case of appendicitis so I wasn't upset. It meant surgery – sterile gowns, gloves, the smell of disinfectant, and the steady beeping of monitors. The things my dreams were made of. Sad to some, but not to me.

"You did great, honey. How does your tummy feel?" I asked the six year old girl as she woke up in recovery.

It had been a routine appendectomy, laparoscopic, so she wouldn't be here long. She would be up and back home in a day or two, and back at school in about a week.

Cases like hers were why I loved surgery. I had taken a little girl who had been crying and in a level of pain she couldn't describe, and made her feel better. I put a smile on her face… Well, more than likely it was the anesthesia, but still, if it hadn't been for me her life could have been in danger.

If I moved to a bigger hospital, I would be able to do more cases like her. I would be saving more lives. But, then again if I hadn't been in Forks the little girl could have died without prompt treatment, and since I was the only surgeon available to operate she probably would have. I wouldn't leave Forks until another surgeon, not just medical doctor, was hired and planned to stay.

"You're pretty," the girl said with a drugged up smile.

"Thank you, sweetie. So are you. If you need anything, you just press this button here and someone will come. I'll go get your mommy and daddy." I smiled, giving her hand a little squeeze.

The child and her parents were reunited as the girl was moved out of recovery and into an overnight room. I would check on her in the morning and hopefully, she would be recovering perfectly and on her way home soon enough. As I walked out of the hospital my phone rang once more. I didn't recognize the number so I answered, just in case it was a patient.

"This is Dr. Cullen speaking," I said.

"Carlisle, it's Edward. I need you to bail me out of jail."

Jesus Christ, what did he do?

A/N: What did Edward do? How do you guys like this story so far?

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><p><strong>Please Review...<strong>


	3. 3rd Chapter

**Thanks! **To my fantastic beta's HollettLA and MelissaMargaret who have done wonders for this story!

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

I drove to Seattle at midnight to bail Edward's ass out of jail. He hadn't had much time to talk, except to tell me he was being held on assault charges, so to bring his checkbook because it wasn't going to be cheap. He hit Esme's boyfriend. Why? I don't know, but apparently he thought he also fractured his right hand. Obviously, Edward didn't know how to throw a punch, which was not surprising considering he grew up in Manhattan with a nanny.

When I arrived at the police station, I paid Edward's pricey bail and the cop went to get him, so I could take him to the hospital for his hand. They couldn't be bothered to do that, apparently. He came out with ice on his right hand, looking defeated. I was curious as to why Esme wasn't here, or Esme's boyfriend.

"Don't leave the state of Washington. You'll get your court date in the mail," the officer told him, handing him the pink copy of the form he had signed before we left.

"Tell me you have some type of narcotic," he said as he got in the car.

"We're going to the hospital. What the hell happened?"

"I punched Charles, Esme's boyfriend, when he got home. That bastard started it. He got in my face. He was being crude and saying awful things about her. I couldn't stop myself. Jesus, Carlisle, she's in something bad. I now know why she wouldn't come out of her apartment."

"Why?"

"She had a black eye."

"What?" I asked, enraged. Someone hurt Esme? I wanted to go find the bastard and finish what Edward started.

"She told the cop she tripped. I have to get her away from him."

"Well, right now let's get your hand in a cast, and then you'll figure something out," I replied, driving towards Harborview. Who knew it would be Edward who would be the first to use my privileges?

After taking an x-ray to confirm the boxer's fracture to the neck of his fourth and fifth metacarpal - the bones that lead to his ring and little finger - I prepared to cast his hand and wrist. He was lucky the fractures weren't severe enough to require surgery.

"Stop moving," I told him as I straightened his fingers out.

"It hurts," he whined.

"I gave you Vicodin. You can't have any more yet."

"What if he's hurting her right now?"

"I don't know, Edward. Wait, was he arrested?"

"No. I punched him, but he didn't hit back. Smart bastard."

"Have you thought about calling your parents? Maybe they could convince her to get away." I pointed out.

"Ha! Yeah, right. They wouldn't even care, Carlisle. I have to get her away. Fuck! That hurt," he yelled as I moved his hand once more.

"Sorry." I slid the sleeve over his arm, and wrapped the cast padding around it.

"She's so much smarter than this," he murmured. "How could she have gotten herself into this situation?"

"I don't know, Edward… I just don't know."

Days passed. Edward continued to try getting a hold of Esme, but she wasn't answering. It hurt to see my friend in such a state. He was in so much pain thinking about Esme – what she was going through, and what _he _could be doing to her. He had no real plan. What could he do? If he went back to Seattle, he would just be arrested again. Esme probably wouldn't see him anyway. Just like last time.

Late one night, about a week and a half after Edward's arrest, he was with Bella and I was home alone. The hospital was being taken care of, so there was nothing for me to do. I was bored and frustrated.

I wasn't close with Esme. I had only met her a handful of times, but she was special and she certainly didn't deserve this. Someone hurting her was unthinkable. Esme was just… well, special, like I said. She was the kindest woman you'd ever meet. She loved children and dogs. She would sometimes wear flowers in her hair for Christ's sake. She was pure good. How anyone could lay a hand on her was just unthinkable to me.

I ran on the treadmill trying to clear my head. It was two in the morning, and I couldn't sleep. I didn't even want to attempt it until I ran off some of my energy. There were two things that could always clear my head, running and operating. When I was operating, the only thing that mattered was what my hands were doing, how the patient's vitals were, and what I needed to do for any complications. Since I wasn't operating, I was running.

Running was freeing. I could normally leave all of my troubles behind me, and focus on pushing myself further and further. Tonight that wasn't working. The doorbell ringing was both a blessing and a worry. It got me off the treadmill, but meant someone wanted my attention at an ungodly hour.

I opened the front door to reveal a soaking wet, bleeding Esme standing on the doorstep.

"Jesus, Esme," I said as she cried, and wrapped her arms tighter around her thin body.

"I need Edward," she whispered.

I ushered her in. "Come in, and get out of the rain. I'll get you a blanket and call Edward." She had a laceration above her eyes – extending down from her hairline, and various bruises covering her exposed skin. She had to have been through hell.

I had her sit down, and wrapped a warm throw around her shivering form. I wanted to take care of her cut, but first I needed to call Edward.

I grabbed my phone out of my room while trying to find something Esme could change into, since her clothes were soaked. I only had an old college t-shirt, hoodie, and sweatpants that would be much too large for her, but at least the sweatpants could be tied tight around her waist.

"Hello," Edward answered groggily.

"Edward, Esme's here. You need to come home right now. She's hurt."

"What? She's there?" he asked. I heard him shuffling about. "Wait… she's hurt? How bad? Should I meet you at the hospital? Oh God, my baby sister."

"Her head lac will need sutures. One of us could do them here, but I don't know about any other injuries. I haven't had the chance to examine her. She's soaking wet, so I'm trying to find clothes for her to change into. By any chance does Bella have any clothes here?"

"No… nothing that Esme could wear anyway."

"All right, she'll have to make do with these until you can get her some."

"I'll ask Bella to lend me something. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

"Okay, I'll see you soon," I said, hanging up the phone.

I grabbed the medical bag I kept in my closet for emergencies, and headed back out to the living room. Esme was staring into space, still shivering from the clothes.

"Here, they might be big, but at least you'll be warm," I told her, setting the clothes on the coffee table in front of her. "Edward is on his way. He won't be too long. He's bringing some clothes that might be a better fit."

"Thank you," she whispered, gently picking up the folded garments.

"There's a bathroom straight down the hall, second door on your left," I said as she stood back up. I didn't miss the soft groan that escaped her lips, or her hand going to her side before she faltered a step. "Esme, does your side hurt?"

"It's… I… I'm fine," she said softly before walking slowly out of the room.

I was concerned about her injuries. Her hand had gone to her left side near the bottom of her rib cage. There were delicate organs in that area that could be hurt. If it was her spleen or liver, she could be bleeding internally. Her ribs could mean her breathing was being constricted. She could be in danger if that was the case. But if she made it all the way here from Seattle, I doubted anything was life-threatening. Still, hopefully she would let Edward examine her. I doubted she would let me since she barely knew me.

I went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee to warm her up. When she came out of the bathroom, her hair pulled back into a bun and the large clothes hanging off her tiny body, she looked… _broken_. She had wiped the blood from the laceration, revealing more bruises covering her delicate face.

"I made coffee," I said. "How do you like it?"

She sat back down, on the opposite side of the couch from the now wet blanket and spot where she was before.

"Um… just some milk, please. Thank you."

I went back to the kitchen and added milk to one mug and brought both of them into the living room. I sat hers on the table in front of her and took a sip of mine.

"Would you mind… can I take a closer look at that cut?" I pointed.

"It's not that bad," she said touching the cut as she winced.

"I hate to disagree, but it is. You'll need a few sutures. I'm sure Edward won't mind doing them if you'd prefer, but I can at least anesthetize it to take away the pain."

"Um… okay."

I went into my bag and pulled out a few gauze pads and antiseptic, along with a vial of Lidocaine and a syringe. I pulled the coffee table as close as I could and sat down.

"I'm just going to clean it first, okay?"

She gave me a nod of consent, so I pressed a pad to her forehead. She jerked away from my touch, looked at me meekly, and let me continue. Once the lac was clean, I prepared the anesthetic. Thankfully, I had Lidocaine ointment as well, so I dabbed a little around her forehead first to lessen the pain of the injection.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything," she said.

"Don't be sorry. Nothing was interrupted. Now, hopefully this won't hurt at all, but tell me if it does. Just close your eyes," I told her, preparing the injection of anesthetic.

She did as I said, and closed her green eyes. I slid the needle in as gently as I could, and injected the Lidocaine as quickly as possible. She didn't move much so I assumed most of the pain was taken away by the ointment.

"All done." I smiled as she opened her eyes.

"Thank you."

I heard Edward's Volvo roar up to the front of the house. The door slammed, making Esme jump, before he burst into the house.

"Esme!" he exclaimed, quickly making his way to her side as I moved away. He pulled her into his arms, and she cried as he rocked her gently.

"Eddie, I'm so sorry." She cried.

No one got away with calling Edward "Eddie" except for Esme - not even Bella was allowed to. God help me if I tried. I felt like I was intruding on a very personal moment, so I stepped further away and ducked my head.

"What happened, sissy?" he asked her as he wiped her tears with his good hand. The other was still in the black cast I had put him in.

"Oh, Edward, I'm so sorry," she said.

"It's ok, Es. Just tell me what happened? Where are you hurt? Did you let Carlisle examine you?" She shook her head no and continued to cry into her brother's chest.

"Her side, near the bottom of her rib cage needs to be looked at. She was favoring it heavily," I explained.

"Can I take a look, sissy?" he asked. She looked up to me, and I knew I needed to leave.

"If you'll excuse me," I said, going into the kitchen.

I knew it was late, but she might be hungry, so I made a bowl of soup. I wasn't a master in the kitchen, but the microwave was my close friend. As the soup was heating up, I heard Edward call my name. I walked hastily back into the living room.

He had Esme lying down on the couch with her shirt pulled up. She was so bruised around the lower part of her rib cage.

"Her belly is soft, but tender. I don't think she's bleeding internally, but…" He trailed off, moving away and making room for me.

"May I?" I asked before touching her.

"It's not that bad," she said.

"Take her blood pressure for me, pulse as well," I said to Edward as I lowered my hands onto her warm stomach. She kept herself guarded, but her abdomen didn't feel like she was bleeding internally. Edward pumped up the blood pressure cuff as I examined her.

"Ninety-over-fifty. That's border line."

"She's not bleeding into her abdominal cavity. Heavy bruising, but I'm sure some time has passed. If she were bleeding internally, her BP would be much lower," I told him.

"Can I sit up please?" she asked.

"Can I check your ribs first?" She gave me a nod of permission and let me feel for any breaks. I could tell it hurt from her pained expression, but nothing felt broken. An x-ray wouldn't hurt, though. It's not like I could feel a hairline fracture. "We might be safest to get an x-ray, but I don't think anything's broken. Can I listen to your chest?"

"Okay," she replied as Edward handed me the stethoscope he had been using. Her lungs sounded clear, albeit her breathing was a touch shallow. It was safe to say no ribs had perforated her pleural cavity. I helped her sit back up, and she situated herself against the pillows just in time for the microwave to ding.

"I made chicken noodle soup. Would you like some?"

She smiled weakly. "I… a little might be nice."

"I'll be right back with it," I said, turning away. Edward followed me and shut the kitchen door behind him.

"She's okay, right? Do we need to take her to the hospital?" He was no longer a doctor, but a concerned family member who was doubting his own diagnostic skills and reasoning to follow mine.

"To make a police report we should go to the hospital and document her injuries. A chest x-ray might be a good idea. I didn't feel any fractures, but that doesn't mean there aren't any. Her chest is clear, but her breathing is a bit shallow – most likely from the pain."

"I'll tell her we're going," he said, turning away before looking back. "Thanks, Carlisle. You're a great friend." He smiled sadly as he walked out.

I got the soup out, put an ice cube in it to cool it down, and brought it out, along with a bottle of water. Esme was shaking her head, saying no to Edward's request about the hospital.

"Edward, no. I'm not pressing charges. I'm away from him now. That's enough."

"Sissy, he hurt you. He needs to pay. Please, at least go to the hospital for the chest x-ray?"

"What would you do for a broken rib? Tape it up? There's nothing to do Edward. We both know that." She was right on that note. It wasn't like we could cast a broken rib. We would ice it, and tape her up so it didn't move.

"You need stitches," he said.

"And Carlisle is going to take care of that here. He's already numbed my head."

"Esme," he begged.

"I love you, Edward, but no… No hospital, no pressing charges, no nothing. I'm done with him. I won't go back."

"Okay," he sighed, obviously not liking her answer, but agreeing with it anyway.

"Here's some soup," I cut in, handing him the bowl for her. "When you're done, I'll stitch that cut up." I smiled dejectedly at her.

Esme only had a few spoonfuls before she didn't want anymore. After washing my hands and pulling on gloves, I sat on the coffee table across from her as Edward held her hand. I made sure she was still numb, and then started on the sutures. She needed at least ten, maybe more. I did agree with Edward that she should go to the hospital and press charges, but I also knew how hard that would be.

I didn't know why she left him, but I was glad she did. She probably shouldn't have been driving, but at least she had gotten here safely. Her injures were being treated and none of them were life threatening, so that was good. I didn't want to see Edward lose his sister from something like this, and now she was safe.

"All done," I said as I finished. "Hopefully the scar won't be too bad. I used small sutures."

"Carlisle's great with stitches, sissy. You won't have a scar. His patients never do," Edward assured her.

"You were very quick," she told me. "Thank you."

"No problem. Let me know if you need anything. I want you to take some of Edward's pain medicine tonight, and tomorrow I'll get you a script for your own. I'm also giving you a shot of high-dose antibiotics, and then a script for orals to be safe," I said, filling the syringe up.

It was almost morning by the time Esme fell asleep in Edward's room. He insisted she sleep there while he took the couch. We would have to figure out something more permanent tomorrow, but for now she was resting comfortably. I would probably go to the bed and breakfast just outside of town until I found something more permanent. Esme would need to stay with Edward for now.

As I was cleaning up, and Edward was making his bed for the night, he stopped and turned to me.

"Thanks for everything, Carlisle. Have I told you recently you're the best friend anyone could have?" He laughed. "You move all the way to a town we both know you hate, put up with being out of your specialty in medicine to help me out, bail my ass out of jail, cast my hand, and now you helped my sister. You don't have to move out. I don't want you to. We can clear out the office, and buy some bedroom furniture for Esme."

"I don't want to intrude," I said.

"You're not, but I understand if you want to leave. The hospital will find someone else. I'll just work more until they fill your position."

I laughed. "And what? Kill everyone in town? You need me."

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><p><strong>Please Review…<strong>


	4. 4th Chapter

**A/N:** Just so no one is upset or confused, Carlisle isn't exactly canon in this story. He does curse from time to time and had a very difficult upbringing, which eventually you all will learn more about. Of course he's still compassionate and freaking amazing though!

**Thank you! **To my wonderfully amazing betas HollettLA and MelissaMargaret. I owe them a world of thanks for putting up with my messes and helping make this story so much better.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

Esme wasn't much for talking. In the morning before Edward and I left for work, we would all eat breakfast together. It was a change from our normal routine, since before, no one cooked for us. Esme did though. She said it was the least she could do. That was basically all she said.

At night I could hear her cry in her bedroom. She would stay in the shower for an hour or longer sometimes and just cry.

Edward was beside himself. He didn't understand it. He got that she would be upset. She had, after all, been abused, but now she was away from her abuser.

I understood it a little better. Just because she was away didn't mean it was over. She'd have to live with what she went through forever. I had suggested to Edward that maybe she should speak with the hospital psychologist, but he didn't like that suggestion. He said his sister wasn't crazy. She would be fine with a little time.

Work was normal. Nights were boring as usual and days weren't much better, unfortunately. I did have the pleasure of doing Rose's ultrasound, her request not mine. She and Emmett asked me to, since their next appointment with her OB wasn't for a few more weeks and they wanted to see the baby now. They weren't disappointed I couldn't find out the sex. They just wanted to see the child.

Rose and Emmett were something else to watch. The way they acted together was something you would see in a scripted film or TV show. Real life had never looked so perfect, but for them it was. They were perfect for each other – soul mates, I guess you could say. I wondered if I would ever find someone like that. I doubted it. Love wasn't something I was good at. Relationships and I didn't mix well. I ruined them quickly by forgetting dates in favor of working, and by preferring to be alone instead of out with the person. I wondered if that would change if I actually found the right person. Would I still prefer to be alone?

"Well, Ms. Weber, you have the flu. It's nothing too serious. Just rest and drink plenty of fluids, and you'll be back to normal in no time," I told the teenager as I stood by her bedside. She was clearly ill, but she would get better.

Angela was a good girl. She actually volunteered here as a candy striper during the summer months. She was still in high school. A senior, I believe.

"Are you sure? What if it's, like, meningitis or something?" her mother asked.

I smiled. "It's not. I assure you, she's going to be just fine."

"Thanks, Dr. Cullen. See Mom, just the flu," Angela said.

"You're getting the flu shot from now on," the mother said.

"I would actually recommend that," I told them.

"When can I go back to school?" Angela asked me.

"Give it a few days. Try going back on Monday, as long as you feel well. I'll write you a note and if you need another day or so, just give me a call and I'll fax the school another. You'll be excused."

She smiled weakly. "Okay, thanks again, Dr. Cullen."

"Of course. Take care, you two." I said, walking out of her curtained area and back to the nurses' station to start Angela's discharge paperwork. I heard the door open and looked up. Esme was walking in with a bag.

"Esme," I said, smiling.

"Hi, Carlisle… I brought you and Edward some lunch," she said, just in time for Edward to come over from an exam room.

"Hey, sissy. How are you feeling?" he asked as he hugged her.

She smiled. "I'm okay. I brought you two lunch."

"Mmm, smells good. Come sit." He directed her behind the station into a chair. She put the bag on the counter and pulled out two bowls of Tupperware.

"What about you?" I asked, sliding up onto the counter as she handed me one of the containers, and Edward the other.

"Oh, I'm not hungry," she said.

"Is something wrong?" Edward asked. "It's not that I don't love seeing you, but you haven't even left the house yet and now you come here."

"Nothing's wrong. I just wanted to bring you two some lunch. I don't know if the stereotype rings true here but I've heard awful things about hospital cafeterias. I thought you two might like something homemade."

"It's delicious. Thank you. And yes, the stereotype is correct. That's why we stick to Subway," I told her, smirking.

She frowned. "Oh… I didn't realize you already had plans."

"No, no this is much better," I told her as she smiled, timidly.

We ate without much more being said. I felt bad, but I didn't know what to say. I asked her how her day was going. She just said it was fine. Edward tried starting conversation, but again, her answers were vague and made for a quick resolution to the topic.

She was shy. It was strange seeing Esme shy. The other times I had met her she was always so outgoing and fun, never one for awkward silence.

"I'm going to go. I'm sorry if I interrupted anything," she said.

"Sissy, you didn't interrupt anything! Why would you think that?" Edward asked.

"I… uh," she stuttered.

"Lunch was amazing. Thank you so much. If you keep cooking like this, you're going to make us into two fat men." I chuckled trying to lighten the mood. "I'm not opposed." I smirked.

"It was great, Es. This was perfect. Feel free to cook whenever you'd like, or maybe tomorrow you and I could meet at the diner for lunch?" Edward asked.

"I can cook," she said.

He smiled. "I know you can, but you've been cooking nonstop. Take a break."

"Okay, whatever you want," she said.

After Esme had left, Edward and I got back to work. About an hour before our shifts ended, everything came to an abrupt stop. Dead, the ER was dead. Not one patient to be seen. So basically ensuring the last hour was going to crawl by.

Edward was having fun texting Bella. He would laugh suddenly, every now and then. His actions somewhat made me want to get a hammer and hit his cast, so I'd have a patient, and keep him quiet. Well, that really wouldn't have kept him quiet. He would probably just have been louder. When he actually got on the phone with her, I seriously considered the hammer option.

"I wish I could, but I don't want to leave Esme alone," he said. "Of course, you understand. You're perfect. She's not even acting like my sister. I'm actually getting worried. She refuses to tell me what that bastard did to her." He sighed. "I miss spending the night with you, too. I get cold." He smirked. God, strike me now, please? "What if you came over to my house?" he asked. "Yeah, it is pretty small for four people."

"I'm going to be home," I told him as he raised his head to me.

"What do you mean?"

"Esme. She won't be alone if you stay with Bella. I'll be there."

"Wait, love, Carlisle has an idea," he said into the phone before talking to me. "Are you sure?"

"I mean, check with Esme, but it's not like I'm babysitting. I'm not going anywhere tonight," I said. "Or any night for that matter."

"Let me call you back, Bella. I'm going to ask Esme if she minds me staying with you as long as Carlisle's at the house. I love you."

After hanging up with Bella, Edward rang Esme. It went well. He nodded to himself and smiled, more or less grinning at the prospect of being alone with Bella.

Once he got off the phone, he told me Esme was fine with it, and was making chicken cacciatore for dinner. My stomach was already making its presence known from just the thought of Esme's amazing cooking. Truly, she had a gift in the kitchen. I hadn't been this well fed in… well, since before my grandmother died when I was twelve. Foster mothers weren't exactly known for the fine art of cuisine, but Esme? Esme was a master chef.

Since the ER was so slow, Edward and I conversed and it was decided – by rock, paper, scissors, mind you – that I could leave a half hour early. He said I cheated. You can't cheat. It wasn't my fault he picked scissors. Honestly, who picks scissors?

Anyway, as I pulled up to the house and went through the garage door, the scent of food hit me right away. I was enticed, so I walked into the kitchen to find Esme fluttering about… in shorts. It wasn't that I meant to scan my eyes over her body. It was never my intention, but my eyes went to her shorts and the hemline's position on her legs. Her thighs were covered in hand-shaped bruises.

When she noticed me, she froze.

"I… you… early," she whispered before noticing where my eyes were.

I couldn't take them off of her thighs - the still purple, slightly faded bruising that I had seen more times than I had liked working in large city hospitals. Those bruises were caused by someone – Charles – grasping her thighs, as if to hold her down and…

"I…" Nothing more came out as she slung a dishtowel over her legs and ran out of the room.

What had Charles done to her? I knew the answer to that question, even though I didn't want to know the answer to that question, because it was horrifying. Charles… he… dear Lord, Esme! No wonder she had left in the middle of the night. No wonder she had been so quiet and shy. I should have realized.

Do I tell Edward? He can't know, can he? He would have already been arrested for murder if he'd known, so she didn't tell him. I couldn't be the one to tell him. It wasn't my place, but he had every right to know. All I knew was Esme was incredibly strong to even be there.

Living in a house with two men, granted one was her brother, but I was not. She barely knew me, and yet she wasn't afraid to be alone with me. Yes, she was quiet when we were alone, and she stayed a little further away. If I was on the couch, she would sit in the chair, with a good amount of space and obstacles between us. But still, she stayed in the same room with me.

I didn't move from my spot, still holding my briefcase in the kitchen walkway. Esme came back in silently, now wearing sweatpants. Her eyes were red, meaning she had cried. How long had I been standing there? I look to the clock on the stove. I'd been home for about twenty minutes and had yet to move.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to clean up for dinner," I said softly as I walked out of the kitchen and toward my bedroom.

I pulled the tie from around my neck as I sat my briefcase down next to my desk. Once I was out of my work attire and into jeans and a t-shirt, I sat down in my desk chair for a moment.

What do I say to her? Should I not mention anything?

That was probably the best idea. If she wanted to speak about it, she would have. Truly, though, who would want to talk about something like that? I should have realized that could have happened the night she'd arrived. I should have insisted she go to the hospital. Maybe she would have told a female nurse or doctor. She should have had blood tests done, and an exam.

How horrifying that would have been for her, though. No one should ever have to be put through that exam. Maybe that was why she didn't tell Edward. He would have insisted. Still, she required blood tests. Charles was abusive; I didn't know the man, but I doubted he had any morals. He may have been with other woman. He may have had a disease that was passed to her.

Oh, poor Esme. I couldn't even imagine what she was going through.

After a few minutes, I stood from my seat and decided it was time to face her. My goal was to be as nonthreatening as possible. I wouldn't bring anything up, not tonight at least. She would still need to tell Edward because that was not my place.

As I walked back into the kitchen, Esme was plating the food. It truly looked amazing, but I couldn't find my appetite now. I would still eat, though. Nothing had changed. A lie, yes, but I had to act like nothing had changed. She was still Esme. That would never change.

"This looks amazing," I said, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and taking my seat across from her.

She smiled modestly. "Thank you. I hope it tastes good."

"I'm positive it will. You are an amazing cook. There isn't anything you could make that wouldn't taste like heaven." I smiled back, lifting my fork. She blushed lightly at my compliment, and then took a bite.

"There's wine. It really would make the meal better," she said.

"I think a glass might be nice. Let me get it."

I stood up and motioned for her to sit back down. I grabbed the wine bottle and two glasses from the cabinet. I poured hers first, then mine, and left the bottle on the table in case she wanted another glass.

I couldn't have but one in case the hospital needed me. I normally wouldn't drink at all, but one glass wouldn't hurt. As I took a bite, my appetite came back with a vengeance. Yes, Esme's food was that delicious. I sipped the wine every few bites. It certainly did add to the taste.

"How was work?" she asked.

"Good. Slow toward the end, so I left a little early."

"Is it normally pretty slow? You know, since the town is so small."

"It tends to be. We don't get many emergent cases."

She cocked her eyebrow. "But it's an emergency room."

"Yes." I chuckled. "But with a town this small, most people come in for minor issues. All the doctor's offices are run out of the hospital anyway. It's probably easier to just come to the ER."

"You're a surgeon, aren't you?" she asked.

"I'm a trained trauma surgeon, yes."

"But not here."

"No. Since the hospital is so small, I work many departments, mostly ER. Emergency surgeries are few and far between, to be honest."

"Is that why you don't like it here?" she asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Edward said you're planning to leave, that you don't like living in Forks. I assumed it's because you can't be the type of doctor you want to be here."

"I am going to leave eventually, once I'm no longer needed. I do miss surgery. It's my passion."

"I'll be sad to see you go," she murmured.

"I'm not leaving anytime soon. What about you? Are you planning to stay?"

"I think I might. It's nice here. Though, I have no idea how I'm going to make a living." She giggled.

"I'm not sure there's much of a market for interior design, but you could always try."

"And fail miserably? No one here needs an interior designer. I was thinking about maybe going back to school and getting my teaching certification. I have a bachelor's in design so that won't be much use; but the general credits still count."

"Teaching?" I asked, thinking about her in a classroom of kids. I could see it. "I think that you'd be an amazing teacher."

She blushed again. "Thank you."

"Well, I must say, that was amazingly good. Probably one of my favorites so far. You were right, the wine did make it even better," I said, putting my fork down on the cleared plate.

"Would you like another glass?" she asked, going for the bottle.

"I'm afraid not. The hospital could need me. I need to keep a clear head."

"Oh, of course! So silly of me to ask," she said, dropping her hand.

I stood with my plate. "Not at all. Thank you for asking,"

"I'll get it." She stood, holding her hand out for the plate. She hadn't finished yet. Why would she want to clean my plate when she should be eating?

"It's fine; you finish."

"It's the least I can do."

"What do you mean?"

"You um… Letting me stay here. The least I can do is cook and clean."

"This isn't my house. I had no say in the matter."

"Oh… of course, you didn't. If you did, I guess I wouldn't be here." She frowned as her eyes filled with tears. She left the room before I could correct myself. Fuck, I screwed up.

I was supposed to be nonthreatening - light and easy conversation that wouldn't upset her.

Way to go, Carlisle. You made her cry. You made Esme - who has been through hell - cry and you insinuated you didn't want her here. _Wonderful._ That was the complete opposite of what I wanted. I was supposed to make her feel welcome…Safe… Not fuck it all up.

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><p><strong>Please Review…<strong>


	5. 5th Chapter

**Thank you! **To the amazing **HollettLA** who beta'd this chapter for me.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

I could hear Esme crying in her room. I needed to correct my statement, badly. I didn't want to upset her more, though. I was at an impasse. I wanted to talk to her, but what if I just made things worse? Running my hand through my hair, I sighed, and then listened. She was still crying softly. I was going to try and talk to her. _Try_ was the key word there. As I approached her door, I faltered as I raised my hand. What is the first thing I should say? I apologize - that was first.

"Esme." I knocked as I heard her shuffle toward the door. She opened it slowly, only halfway. "I am so sorry. That is not what I meant. I love having you here."

"It's okay, Carlisle."

"No, it's not. I wasn't trying to insinuate that I don't want you here. My words came out completely wrong. Please come out? We can, uh…" I paused. thinking of something we could do. "Watch a movie?"

"You don't have to."

I smiled. "I want to. Please, you can pick."

"I... um… okay," she said. "Do you want ice cream?"

"I'd love some."

She came out of her room and went into the kitchen as I turned the TV on in the living room and opened the DVD cabinet. Edward and I had gathered quite the collection. There had been more romances added since Bella came along, but I knew Esme would most likely steer clear of those. When she came out of the kitchen, she carried two bowls with spoons in each. I remained standing so she could pick her spot. If she sat on the couch, I'd take the chair to give her some space. She chose the couch as I kneeled back down to the cabinet.

"What do you want to watch?" I asked.

"I don't care."

"Any genre?"

"Something action or funny might be nice."

I found some movie of Edward's that I had yet to see, placed it in the DVD player, and then sat down in the chair and grabbed the bowl of ice cream she set out. As the opening credits started, I looked up to see her moving the spoon in her bowl around and around – never lifting it to eat. She lifted the soon and poured the liquid back down, watching it as it went.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She looked up. "What?"

"Are you all right?" I asked, smiling. "Your ice cream has melted."

"Oh, I'm fine. Guess I wasn't very hungry for it is all," she sighed.

"You know, I'm a good listener if you ever need to talk. I'm not saying you have to, or even that you should, but I am here and I'll listen as long as you speak."

"I'm fine."

"Okay. I guess we should watch the movie."

I turned up the volume a little more, and shut my mouth before I could upset her again by pressing the issue. She was quite obviously not "fine" and I worried if she ever would be by keeping things to herself.

I kept an eye on her throughout the evening. She watched the movie with unseeing eyes. I didn't blame her; the movie was just horrible. No wonder I hadn't seen it before. She left the room to put the bowls away, which I told her I would do, but she insisted. She didn't want me to pause the movie. Hell, I wanted to fast forward it secretly, but doing that would mean losing time with her. I just liked being in her presence for some reason, even if she didn't speak. The movie ended without as much as a word from either of us. I wasn't sure where to go from here, but Esme knew. She just said goodnight and went to her room.

I went into the kitchen, prepared to empty the dishwasher – it seemed Esme hand-washed each dish. Was she cleaning and cooking because she wanted to, or because she felt she had to? I was not a psychologist. I shouldn't look deeper into something so minuscule, but knowing what I now did, I couldn't help myself. What all had Charles made her do? What had happen to her if she hadn't done as asked? I think that answer was covering her body in bruises and cuts. He'd beat her and… I can't even bring myself to say the word in my own head. Poor innocent Esme, he forced her. Jesus Christ, how does she move on from that? She couldn't without talking. She needed to tell Edward and get the proper help.

Esme telling Edward, though, that might not end well. He'd be furious, with good reason. I'm furious, and she's not even my sister. He might say something, or do something, he'd regret – something that would just hurt Esme more in the end. She needed her big brother to be there for her and I had a feeling, if I knew Edward like I think I did, he'd fly off the handle and try to head straight to Seattle to kill the bastard. Not that I'm opposed to killing him, he deserves it for what he did to sweet Esme, but it is illegal and very wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right, just like my grandmother always told me.

"Carlisle." Esme's soft voice interrupted my inner monologue as I sat at the kitchen bar doing paperwork a little after one in the morning. I looked up to see her holding a towel against her forehead where her stitches still were. "I pulled out a stitch," she said ruefully.

"Oh, let me take a look," I said, walking over to her and touching her hand that held the towel. Her skin was so soft and warm.

She moved her hand and let me lower the towel. Sure enough, three of the stitches had been pulled and a fourth loosened so much it would have to be redone. Luckily, these ones were in her hair line. She'd have a worse scar since I had to redo the sutures, but at least it wouldn't be too visible. I was very thankful the few extending from the top of her left eyebrow up her forehead had stayed in place. Her beautiful face didn't deserve such an imperfection. Not that it would make her any less.

"More than one I'm afraid," I told her.

"I saw blood. I didn't really look. I was just trying to brush my hair," she murmured.

"It's all right, let me grab my bag. I replenished it, so I had the instruments here. Just take a seat and hold pressure," I said, leading her to the stool I had been on.

I pushed my papers away and jogged back to my room for my medical bag. I took a quick look to be sure I had what I needed and brought it back into the kitchen.

She watched closely as I laid everything out and opened the packets after washing my hands. I gave her a warning before I injected the lidocaine, since the one thing I didn't have was ointment. She winced and a tear or two fell onto her cheeks from the burning pain. I felt callous by causing her pain, but she said she was okay.

"You're up late," I said, pulling the needle through her skin and tying the first stitch off. Three more to go.

"My mind wasn't ready to rest, I suppose," she told me. "Why are you still up? You got up at six o'clock this morning. I'd have thought you'd be exhausted."

I chuckled. "I don't sleep much."

"What? Are you a vampire?" She teased.

She teased! She was comfortable enough with me to tease. It was a step in the right direction. Maybe someday, I'll get her to laugh, really laugh.

I smirked. "No, I'm afraid I'm just your average insomniac."

She looked up to me and smiled. "Well, at least I know I'm safe from a scary vampire."

"You're always going to be safe for now on," I said before I could stop myself. Damn it; now wasn't the time… or was it? It's not like she could go anywhere. I wasn't going to say much, but I needed to get her to realize she should tell Edward.

"I don't feel safe except when I'm with Edward or you. I feel so open when I'm alone. I can't keep myself from being frightened to leave my room during the day. I check every lock at least once an hour." She frowned.

"With time, it'll get better."

"When?"

She looked up to me as I tied the last suture. Her eyes were filled with a pain that couldn't really be understood by me or anyone else that hadn't gone through what she'd experienced. I didn't have a perfect answer for her – I wish I did.

"I don't know, but I do know… nothing will get better unless you face what happened to you."

"I… I'm fine," she said as tears filled. her soft eyes.

"You keep saying that - but, Esme, I know you're not fine. No one is fine after having that happen to them."

"How would you know?" she sneered.

At least anger was an emotion. She needed to let these emotions out. She can sneer or yell at me all she needed and I'd take it, knowing in the end it was what she needed to do.

"Personally, I don't, but I know it's not easy and keeping it a secret isn't healthy," I said, placing a new bandage over her head. "I'm done."

"Thank you. If you'll excuse me," she said, beginning to stand.

"Please," I begged, blocking her exit. I wasn't trying to be forceful. If she asked me to move, I would. "Charles raped you," I whispered.

"No, he didn't!" she yelled.

"I know those marks, Esme. If Edward had seen them, he would too."

I knew she was regretting wearing those shorts to cook. She hadn't worn anything but sleep pants, sweats, or jeans.

"We were dating! We had sex," she cried out.

"You were forced," I told her, trying to be kind, but there was no way to sugarcoat the truth.

"You don't know anything."

"I know he hurt you and I know you feel lost."

"I asked for it," she whispered so softly I almost missed it.

"No, you didn't," I said incredulously.

She cried. "Edward would have helped me, but I didn't let him. I had the chance to get away."

"He held so much power over you. That doesn't mean it was your fault, or you asked for it. You did leave, though, Esme. You got away before he could do worse."

"Worse?"

"Kill you," I whispered, feeling the burn behind my own eyes. The idea of Esme being killed was bringing me to tears.

"You can't tell Edward."

"It wouldn't be my place, but he should know. You need him. He can't help you if he doesn't know what happened."

She sobbed, brushing past me. "I can't tell him."

"I'm still here. I know, and I'm here to listen," I called out before she went through the doorway. She stopped, put her hand on the frame, and turned her tear-stained face to me.

"Everything's crashing down around me. I'm losing myself."

"I won't let you," I told her. "I'm your friend, and friends help each other when times get hard. I know what happened to you, and I'm not going anywhere. Whatever you need, Esme, I'm here."

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><p><strong>Please Review…<strong>


	6. 6th Chapter

**Warning: **This chapter contains a dream which includes violence again a woman which eventually leads to a sexual assault. There are no graphic descriptions, but read at your discretion. **Or just skip the part in italics**.

**Thank you! **To the wonderfully amazing **HollettLA **who beta'd this chapter. Have I mentioned she's wonderful?

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

_He was drunk again, and it just made his mood worse. I missed the Charles who charmed me – who could smile and make my heart flutter. No one ever gave me that attention before. It was foolish for me to think it was love - it wasn't. Now here he was, angry and drunk. I could handle them separately, but together… it wasn't going to be a good night. I needed to stay out of his way. Let him be so he could pass out and sober up in the morning. The thing is, he won't let me be._

_As he stalked me into the corner, my breathing became faster. Pure fear was pumping through my body as if it were my blood. If he was drunk enough, I could fight him off, but from the way he was walking – no hesitancy in his steps – I knew he wasn't to that point. His hand grasped my arm tightly as he sneered something cruel about my looks. I wasn't pretty enough for him._

"_Please, Charles, don't," I begged. _

_I would plead on my hands and knees if it could stop him, but I doubted it would. He'd probably get some type of cruel satisfaction out of it._

"_Don't, what? Don't give you want you want? Come on, _baby, _you want it," he said as he pulled me away from the wall and flung me to the bed. I cried, trying to fight his grip as he held my hands above my head with one arm. He was just too strong for me to fight. His hand tore my shorts from my body down to my ankles._

"_No! No!" _

"Esme, wake the hell up!" Edward screamed.

His hands held my face and I quickly wiggled away from his touch.

"Ed… Edward?"

"Yes, sissy, it's me. I've been yelling at you to wake up for the past few minutes. What was that?"

It wasn't like I could tell him the truth; I had to lie. "Oh… uh... nightmare, I guess. I don't know. I can't remember it now."

"That sounded like something you'd remember. Was it about Charles?"

"No, I mean, I don't know. Maybe? I can't remember anymore."

"You don't want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about. If I remembered, I would," I said. "What time is it anyway?"

"Almost nine."

"What!" I shrieked. "I didn't make breakfast for you guys. Did Carlisle already leave?"

"Yeah, his shift started at seven. I'm going in at noon since I'm needed this evening."

"Oh well, have you eaten?"

"Sorry, Pop-tarts, I just wanted to let you sleep."

I scowled. "Pop-tarts are not a well-balanced meal, Eddie."

"Hey, I'm the doctor and big brother. Don't go getting all wiser than me." He laughed.

"Fine, well, I need to get up."

He stood from his seat next to me on the bed. "Okay, sissy, I'm going for a jog before meeting Bella for lunch. Hey, why don't you come with?"

"I'd love to jog. I haven't since I got here."

"And lunch?"

"Oh well… that's you and Bella."

"I want you to meet her, sissy. I think… I know she's the one. Please?"

"The one?"

"Yeah." He smiled shyly.

"Ask her first, please?"

"I'll call her right now. You get dressed," he said, before walking out of the room.

I was very glad to have been able to go clothes shopping online, even happier when they arrived not only two days later. No more of Bella's clothes – who I've never met. And I guess I should give Carlisle his sweats back. The thing is… I don't want to. When I wore that hoodie he leant me, I felt a little safer. Silly, I know, but it was true. His scent still lingered on it since I hadn't washed it. It was a calming scent of pine and fresh air, if you know what I mean. Masculine, but not sweaty or leather-ish. Just clean and calming – like Carlisle, safe.

"Esme!" Edward panted from a few yards back. "Slow down, you're killing me."

"What? Can't compete with your little sister anymore?" I yelled back.

"No, because I'm fucking old. Just… please slow… down." He continued to pant as I slowed my pace until I was side by side with him again, and then slowed down to a brisk walk for him.

"Better?"

"Yeah," he gasped then smirked. "I think I might live."

"Har-har-har"

"So, Bella's excited to finally get to meet you. Is the diner okay?"

"Of course."

"Esme, she's really happy that she gets to meet you. She, uh… knows what happened to you. I couldn't keep it from her."

"I know."

"But she won't bring it up. She's very nice, I promise."

"I'm sure she is, Edward. You wouldn't love her if she wasn't."

"I do love her, so much. She's the most amazing woman in the world. Besides you, of course." He smirked.

"You haven't been lying to her about me, have you?"

He cocked his eyebrow. "Lying?"

"Telling her I'm amazing."

"You are amazing, Esme; don't ever think you're not. Whatever he said to you, it's not true."

"Uh-huh," I said picking up my pace so he couldn't see my face.

After showering and getting cleaned up, Edward and I left for the diner – he drove. He didn't live far from the center of town – just barely on the outskirts – so it wasn't a long drive, minutes in fact. When we pulled up, he smiled as his eyes found a woman waiting beside an old Chevy truck. By old, I mean ancient, fifties or sixties, I think, not that I knew much about cars. The woman was slender, probably in her late twenties early thirties with brown hair that fell past her shoulders. She had a heart-shaped face and brown eyes. She was pretty in a girl-next-door way. Perfect for Edward – that had to be Bella.

"Esme, this is Bella. Bella, my sister Esme," Edward introduced as we met her in the parking lot.

"Hi, Esme. It's so good to meet you. Edward's told me so much," she said.

"You too." I smiled softly.

"Let's go eat!" Edward laughed.

"Always hungry." Bella smiled, kissing him softly before we walked in.

We seated ourselves at a table - Edward and Bella across from me as we looked at the menu. I'd come here twice, once with Edward alone, and another time with he and Carlisle while they were working. After we ordered drinks, I tried to decide on lunch. Nothing was really said to me as they caught up on each other's day. Bella was a high school teacher and today was a partial day at school, so she was off now.

"What are you going to get?" Bella asked me with a smile.

"A sandwich, I think. You?"

"Garden burger." She blushed as Edward chuckled.

"Same thing, every time," he said.

"I'm a creature of habit, I suppose," she said.

"What about you, Eddie?" I asked getting a snort from Bella.

"I love how she can call you that. It's so adorable," she said.

"Yeah, well, she couldn't pronounce Edward until she was ten. It was always Edwawd," he told her.

"I could, I just liked calling you 'Eddie'. Still do." I smirked.

"And I call you 'sissy'."

"You two have a close relationship for your age difference. I think that's amazing. I always wanted siblings," Bella said.

"Oh, you're an only child?" I asked.

"I am. My parents split when I was little and my mom didn't remarry until I was seventeen, so neither had another child. I moved here with my dad after she married."

"Did you not like the guy?"

"I love Phil. He was a baseball player, so he traveled a lot. My mom stayed with me, but it made her unhappy, so I moved here with my dad. It was a good move."

"Your dad's the Chief of Police, right?"

"Yep, Charlie Swan," she said as the waitress came back around.

"What can I get you folks?" she asked.

"I'll take a roast beef sandwich, extra pickles on the side," Edward told her.

"Garden burger, please," Bella asked.

"Turkey club, extra, extra pickles," I said.

"Alrighty, I'll be back with that shortly." She smiled before walking away.

"So, Edward said you're an interior designer. Are you thinking of starting your own business here?" Bella asked me.

"Oh, um, no, I doubt it'd make any money. I haven't decided what I want to do yet. I was thinking about going back to school and maybe getting my teaching degree."

"Oh! That's a great idea. We can always use teachers here. That is… if you're staying?"

"I am, I like the small town feel. I guess Edward can convert anyone."

"Anyone but Carlisle. Rose said he turned down a house because he wasn't staying here much longer," she sighed.

"He's leaving?" I asked feeling a sudden pang of hurt in my chest. Carlisle… he said he was here for me… I guess he changed his mind?

"He never liked it here, sissy. I don't want him to go; I think he can do so much good here, but he's a surgeon. He wants more, which I get," Edward said.

"When is he leaving?"

"I don't know. Harborview in Seattle wants him as an attending trauma surgeon. If he accepts, I'd say a few weeks, but he's had the offer for months now. He hasn't accepted for fear of leaving us short-staffed."

"So, he might not be leaving?"

"He will eventually. Why?"

"Why, what?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Oh… he's a friend. I'll miss him."

Before we finished eating, Edward and Bella came up with an idea. Bella needed to go to Port Angeles to get a book and she wanted me to come with. Edward loved the idea. I wasn't opposed to it - getting out would be nice - but I didn't want to intrude on Bella's time. She said she didn't mind at all, she wanted me to come, so as Edward left for the hospital, we got in her truck and headed to Port Angeles.

The ride was silent. I didn't say anything but thank you. She said you're welcome and that was about it. It took longer than I had expected to get there, after all, her truck topped out around fifty, but the ride was nice. It was a sunny-ish day for once. The weather was starting to warm up since it was May, so we had the windows down.

"It's nice today," I said.

"Very, Edward said you two went for a jog. Do you do that a lot?"

"I used to,"

"Edward likes to if he works a little later. He once tried to get me to come with. I did and it ended with a sprained ankle." She laughed. "I'm a klutz."

"Walking, talking disaster?" I chuckled with her.

"You have no idea. It's dangerous for me to walk," she said. "So, where do you want to go? I just need to go to the bookstore, so we can go anywhere else you want."

"I do need to get some more clothes," I said, thinking of my almost bare underwear drawer. Some things you just can't order online.

"Great, anywhere in particular?"

We went to the bookstore first. I looked around while she went to pick up her order. I wasn't much of a reader, to be honest. I used to like classic novels, but I haven't read one in years. I walked through the self-help aisle, since it was with books about going back to school. Honestly, they all looked ridiculous. I couldn't understand how these helped people, but I quickly grabbed the least obnoxious one and paid before Bella could see what I got. The checker was kind enough to put it in a brown paper bag.

"Anything good?" she asked.

"Jane Eyre," I lied. If she asked about it later, at least I've read it before.

"Oh, you didn't have to buy that! I have it at home."

"I missed having my copy."

"Well, it is good. I love the Brontë sisters. If you ever want to read something you don't have, I probably do."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," I said.

As we walked through the town toward a clothing store, I got to know Bella a little better. Buy a book and she'll spill her guts, it seemed. She loved reading – the classics are her favorites by far. She's a closet romantic at heart. It turns out she became a teacher because of her mother. Her mother was flighty at times, a good, kind-hearted person, but more like a child, so Bella had to act like an adult. Her mother's profession was one of the things she most admired about her. Moving to Forks when she was younger had not been entirely her favorite idea. She didn't like the weather, but she loved being near her father. Now though, she said it was the best decision she could have made, because she met Edward. She loved him, it was obvious. I really liked Bella, to be honest. She was sweet and just what I would have wanted for my brother.

"So, um, I don't know how to bring this up," she said as we sat outside at a café drinking coffee around three.

"What up?"

"If you ever need to talk, you can talk to me. Edward knows this; he's really the only one besides my dad. I haven't told many people, but I think you might understand. When I was in college, I had a boyfriend named James."

"You don't have to tell me," I told her, praying she'd stop. I didn't need people spilling their guts to me about bad relationships.

"I just want you to know you're not alone," she said. "I don't exactly what happened to you. Edward just told me you had to get out of a bad relationship, but I can tell there's more to it."

"What do you mean?"

"Once you've been through it, it opens your eyes to other's behavior. James drugged me at a party. He took advantage of me."

"Charles never…" I lied.

"I'm wrong then and I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"How did Edward react?"

"James is lucky he's in jail," she said. "But Edward was very supportive and patient with me when I told him I had reservations about being… intimate. He's great when it comes to it. Each year, on the day it happened I'm very… down and this past year, he sat with me all day and let me cry on his shoulder. He's even come to Port Angeles with me for a meeting."

"He loves you."

She smiled. "He does. I'm so lucky to have found someone like him."

"I'm sorry that happened to you."

"Yeah, me too. Just the knowledge that I was violated and can't even remember - it gets to me sometimes. I don't know if it would have been worse if I'd remembered. I don't want to know what he did. I feel so much for those women who have to remember it."

"How do you cope?"

"I relate it to a scar, if that makes sense. I'll always have it, but as time goes by, it fades. I can still see it and remember the pain it caused, but it doesn't hurt as much anymore. I've healed, I guess."

"How long did it take?"

"I think it's different for everyone. It took me a long time to come to terms with it, but once I did, I was able to work through it. Meetings help. It's nice to be around others who know what you've been through," she said. "You can come with sometime. Even if that didn't happen to you, you can still come and listen. Not everyone was raped. Some were abused and they share their stories in hopes it helps others."

"I don't think that will help."

"I didn't either," she told me. "But it really helped me once it came time to move on with Edward. I was able to get pointers on what I can do or say, and Edward listens. We did it in steps." She smiled. "But, I'm sure you don't want to hear about that."

"He is my brother," I agreed.

"Yes, well, I guess we should head back to Forks. I had a great time with you, Esme. Maybe we can do this again. Rose, have you met Rose?" she asked.

"I haven't."

"Well, maybe one day we can all come here and just have a girls day." She giggled. "She's really nice... well, usually. Pregnancy makes her moods swing so fast she can get kinda bitchy, but overall she's a great friend."

"Maybe."

Bella dropped me off at home – it was funny how I've only been there a few weeks, yet I think of it as my home. Carlisle was just sitting in the kitchen doing paperwork. He smiled and greeted me, asking how my day was. I told him what Bella and I did and how I'm positive no one is more perfect for Edward. He agreed wholeheartedly. I started making dinner as he finished up.

"Can I help?" he asked.

"Oh um, sure, just cut these for me," I said, passing him the board with onions on it. "How was work?"

"Good, I had a surgery."

"I take it everything turned out well?"

"Perfect, the patient is awake and very pleased to be out of pain."

"At Harborview, you'll do more surgeries right?"

He looked confused. "Harborview?"

"You're leaving… you turned down a house here," I said, trying to hide my dismay.

"I turned it down because I didn't like it. I am actually thinking of building here. I'm not leaving."

"I thought you were offered a position in Seattle?"

"I was, but I think this town is growing on me. I'm starting to like it here." He smiled as my heart swelled. He was staying.

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><p><strong>AN: **Thank you for reviewing so far! Now…

**Please Review…**


	7. 7th Chapter

**A/N: **I just want to say THANK YOU to all my reviewers. Each review makes my day.

**Thank you! **To **HollettLA **for beta'ing this chapter! Once again, she's awesome.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

"No! Stop! Stop!" Esme screamed at four o'clock in the morning, about two months after she first moved in.

I was woken up by it, so I ran out of my bedroom to hers. Edward was working the night shift at the hospital, so he wasn't there – normally he would be the one to go in and wake her up. This, regrettably, has become a semi-regular occurrence. It happened at least twice a week, sometimes more. I opened her door to find her thrashing about, her pillows tossed around, alarm clock and glass of water thrown to the floor. The glass had shattered, so I ran around to the other side of her bed to avoid it.

"Esme, wake up," I said, not touching her. Touching her could be bad when she's in this state, but alas she didn't wake, so I spoke more forcefully. "Esme, wake up!" Still no sign of her coming out of it. "Esme!" I shouted as she did.

"Help me!" Left her lips as my heart broke. How I wished I could have helped her.

"I'm here, it's Carlisle! Everything's okay, just wake up!"

"Carlisle!" she cried, jolting up. She flung her arms around my neck – surprising me. She hadn't really touched me before or allowed me to touch her much.

"It's okay," I soothed, running my hand up and down her upper back.

"Oh, Carlisle," she cried.

"I know, Esme, but everything's all right. You're safe now," I said as she let go. I pulled back immediately, not overstaying my welcome. When she needed me, I was there, but if she let go, so would I.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it's okay."

"I woke you up."

"It's okay. I promise, Esme. Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

"Just a nightmare," she said, wiping her eyes.

"I think we both know that's not true."

"Carlisle… please."

"I'll leave you alone," I said, standing up, but then I noticed the glass again. "After I clean this up."

She looked to the glass. "Oh no, I'll get it," she said, about to step on a piece hidden by her bed.

"Stop," I said, grabbing her feet before they could touch the ground. Unfortunately, I stepped on another in a haste to get to her. "Shit! Ow, damn it," I cursed, grinding my teeth together.

"Oh, God! Are you okay?" she asked, pulling my arm to get me to sit next to her. I pulled my foot up onto my lap and saw the glass wedged nicely into my heel.

"Yeah," I said, taking a breath.

"Let me get it." She scooted off the other side of the bed and walked around to the door. She was gone but a minute and came back with tweezers, a Band-Aid, and gauze. "Do you want to?" she asked holding the tweezers out.

"Yeah."

I took them from her and squeezed the small piece of glass. I yanked it out with an expletive that shouldn't have been spoken in front of a lady. She pressed the gauze against the sliver of torn skin for me.

"It's small," she said.

"Not too deep," I agreed.

She smiled. "I would offer to kiss your boo-boo, but it's your foot."

"No need." I chuckled. "Slap a Band-Aid over it and call it a night."

"I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Esme. Rather my foot than yours."

"Take a sliver of glass for me? Such a gentlemen."

"I'd take a bullet for you," I whispered.

"Did you say something?"

"Thank you," I said. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you for waking me up. I'll clean this up. You have to work early."

I smiled as she pressed the Band-Aid against the bottom of my foot. "Okay, sleep well."

As I lay in my bed that night, one thing was on my mind. Something was happening to me. I was _feeling _something I shouldn't have been. I was feeling something for Esme. I'd do more than take a bullet for her – I'd give my life for her. Such a ridiculously clichéd fact.

She was not just my friend, she was, but my heart was beating _for_ her. When she smiles, the world is well. I couldn't be feeling this for her – it was wrong, she's been through too much. She could never feel the same way for me, no matter how much I wish she did. She needed to heal before considering anything like I was feeling. Edward would kill me if he could read my mind right now. His sister didn't come here to be lusted after by his friend. She came here to heal and to get away from an abusive relationship. She couldn't be in a relationship right now, but that's what I wanted. I wanted her to be mine, and me hers.

"Good morning." Esme smiled as I walked into the kitchen with my tie in hand. "How's your foot?" she asked as Edward looked up from his eggs.

"What happened to your foot?" he asked.

"I stepped on glass."

"How did you step on glass?"

"It was my fault. I knocked a glass over in my room. Carlisle stepped on it trying to keep me from doing so," she told him.

He glared. "Why were you in her room?"

"I had to wake her up."

"Another nightmare, sissy?" he asked.

"I guess. I still don't remember," she lied.

I knew she could remember her nightmares, but she told Edward she couldn't, so he didn't ask questions. But, I had a feeling if she kept lying, questions would be starting soon.

The hospital was on the busier side today. It started off with a man who cut the tip of his finger off, and now just before lunch, a pregnant woman burst through the doors. I was about to send her up to obstetrics when she screamed out that the baby was coming now, now as in right that instant. She couldn't have been more right.

Within five minutes of her coming in, I held a healthy baby boy in my arms. I didn't get to deliver babies very often. It was a miracle, plain and simple. I could see why someone would choose that as a specialty. He came out with a cry, perfect pink skin, and a special gift for me – his first bowel movement. That didn't bring my mood down at all. I had just helped bring a child into the world.

After I changed into scrubs, seeing as how my pants were now in the trash, I came back out through the lobby. Esme was sitting patiently in a chair with a bag on her lap. She hadn't brought just me lunch before. If Edward wasn't working, I normally didn't see her, so this was a pleasant surprise. She had a small smile on her lips as she played with the tie on the lunch bag. I couldn't help but notice her beauty. Esme was a very beautiful woman, she had always been. Even with cuts and bruises to her face, she had still been gorgeous. Thankfully, that reminder was gone. Her green eyes were down as a piece of her bangs fell over one. She lifted her hand and wiped it away when her eyes met mine and she smiled even more.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey." I smiled. "Lunch

"Turkey on rye."

"Let's go out to the courtyard. It's a beautiful day today," I said as she rose from her seat.

"How's work? I take it you were in surgery?" she asked, noting my attire.

"No, I just delivered a baby." I grinned.

"Oh, wow. Is it okay?"

"Perfect set of lungs. He's beautiful."

"I bet he is and I bet he smells amazing." She blushed. "Sorry, I can't think of babies without thinking of their smell." She laughed.

I chuckled. "I imagine he smells wonderful. Can't say I sniffed him, though."

"You should try it. I had a friend I worked with who just had a little girl. She brought her in and as I held her, I buried my face in her hair. She just smelled so amazing," she told me.

"I could see that – you with a baby," I said.

"I wish."

"You want kids?" I asked as we entered the courtyard and sat down at a picnic table.

"I'd love one, but I doubt I'll ever have one."

"Why?"

"You need a man for that."

"I doubt, when the time comes, you'll have any problems with that part."

"What?" she asked.

"Oh, um." Crap. "Any man would be lucky to have you."

She rolled her eyes. "Right."

"You're beautiful, smart, and an amazing cook." I laughed. "You just have to find the right person," I said, wishing that person could be me.

_Fuck, what was I saying? I wanted to marry Esme and have children with her? Yes, that's exactly what I was saying. Shut the hell up, Carlisle. You're just going to feel awkward around Esme if you keep thinking this way. You can't have her. She'll never be yours._

"Thanks, Carlisle, but you can stop now."

"As you wish, but I'm right."

"Here's your sandwich," she said handing me a cling-wrapped item.

"Is Edward asleep?" I asked.

"Yep."

"How's your day been?"

"Good. I cleaned a little, but didn't vacuum. I'll do that later. Oh, and I looked into taking online classes."

"Oh, yeah? Have you decided anything?"

"No, but I know I want to teach elementary. My bachelor's degree is a good start. I'll just have to take a few courses and, after I've passed them, do an internship."

"Good, do you know when you want to start?"

"Soon. I'm tired of doing nothing. In the meantime, Bella has offered to help me get a job at the high school in the office," she said. "I have an interview next week." She smiled.

"I'm sure you'll get it."

"I hope so," she said as her phone began ringing. "I'm sure it's Edward. I didn't wake him up," she said digging through her purse. She looked at the screen perplexed. "Hmm, blocked number," she said, putting it to her ear. "Hello?" she answered.

Within seconds, her face contorted into shock and the phone fell from her hand. She started murmuring "Oh God" and I was worried.

"Esme?" I asked.

"How?" she whispered.

"Who was it?" I asked as tears filled her eyes.

I stood up and picked her phone up from the ground. She was just mumbling incoherently now. I put the device to my ear.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"Who the hell is this?" a male voice yelled.

"I asked first."

"Tell her I'm coming," the voice said as the line went dead.

"Esme, who was that?" I asked, concerned. I had an idea and I prayed I was wrong, but her cries didn't bode well for that. "Esme, was that Charles?"

She cried. "How did he get my number?"

"Esme, you need to talk to me."

"I have to go," she said, rising from her seat with her purse. I put my hand on her arm and she screamed.

"Esme."

She cried even harder. "Leave me alone."

"Esme, look at me," I said as she looked up. "You have to tell Edward."

"I can't," she cried.

"You have to. He has to know, because now you have to go to the police."

"Carlisle, I can't."

"I'll be with you, if you want."

"How did he get that number?"

"Have you called anyone with it?"

"My old job," she said.

"Maybe he got the number from them?"

"I don't know."

"Let's go talk to Edward. It's time, Esme. There's no more lying about it. He needs to know - you need him to know - so he can help you."

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know," I said. "Can I hug you?"

I wanted so badly to just hold her, but I didn't want to frighten her. She didn't answer, just wrapped her arms around my waist. I held her as tight as I could, knowing how hard this was going to be for her. I'd be there if she needed me. "It's going to be okay," I whispered into her hair.

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><p><strong>Please Review…<strong>


	8. 8th Chapter

**A/N:**I am not a lawyer or cop. I don't know the exact proceedings, but I do know a few things. Without evidence, most DA's won't touch abuse or rape cases, because they are rarely won. That's why it's always recommended to go to a hospital afterwards, even if you're not sure if you want to press charges. Esme didn't go to the hospital, so there is no evidence except her word versus Charles.

**Warning **for this chapter. It's heavy, but once again nothing is descriptive.

**Thank you! **To **HollettLA **who beta'd this for more. She's just wonderful!

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

I didn't want to tell Edward. I really didn't want to. Telling Edward about what Charles did to me was not something I'd ever want to do. I wasn't worried he'd feel any differently about me. He loves me, I'm his sissy and he's my Eddie, but I was worried about what this would do to him. I didn't want to hurt him and I knew that's what I'd be doing today. I was also scared about his reaction towards Charles, especially now that Charles has called me.

Oh God, how did he get my number? Edward set up a new phone line for me under his plan right after I moved in, so there was no way he could have just looked it up. It was a cell phone number. It wasn't in the phone book, obviously. Carlisle's guess could be right – no one at work knows why I quit suddenly. He very easily could have smooth-talked his way into getting the new number out of them. If he has my number does, did mean he knew where I lived?

"How are you doing?" Carlisle asked as I sat in his passenger seat while he drove home.

"I'm terrified," I mumbled through my tears.

"I'm here if you need me. Do you want to do this alone?"

"Please stay with me. I need your support."

He smiled. "I'll be there."

I didn't know why I wanted Carlisle with me when I told Edward this. It was going to be mortifying to talk about this in front of him, but the fact that he knew what happened to me helps. I could look to him for support. Still, I was dreading talking about this. I was terrified and worried about what Edward would do. He had a temper – it broke his hand just a few months ago. I hated to think about what he might do or try to do to Charles once he finds out. I couldn't let Edward get hurt. And Charles would hurt him if he gets in the way of what he wants.

As we pulled up into the driveway of the small house, my breathing picked up. I didn't want to do this. Suddenly, a large, warm hand filled mine. I looked up to Carlisle's reassuring face. He wore a kind smile and his eyes told me what I needed. He was there for me. He wouldn't leave me to do this alone.

I smiled lightly. "Thank you."

"You can do this," he said.

"Let's go," I sighed, opening my door as he let go of my hand.

The walk to the door seemed to take less time than usual. I just wanted a few more minutes. My thoughts were everywhere; how do I start this? Can I really ease into telling my brother something so horrible? No, I couldn't. I'd have to come right out with it. The second we entered the house, I saw Edward sitting on the couch watching TV. His hair was every which way, per normal, but more bedhead-ish, and the sandwich I had left him was in his hand. I started crying as Carlisle shut the door, causing Edward to look up.

"Sissy," Edward said, looking confused. "Carlisle, what happened? Why are you home?"

"Esme needs to talk to you," Carlisle told him.

"Es… what's wrong?" Edward asked, standing up and walking close to me. He put his hand on my face and I flung my arms around his neck, sobbing my heart out. "Sissy," he murmured, wrapping his arms around me.

"Oh, Edward! I'm so sorry," I cried.

"Let's sit down," he said, leading me over to the couch. "Thanks, Carlisle, but I've got it from here."

"No… I need him," I said as he looked at me, perplexed. "Eddie, I haven't told you everything." I cried more as he grasped my hand.

"Everything about what?" he asked softly.

"Charles."

"You can do it, Esme," Carlisle said, sitting in the chair across from us. I nodded my head and wiped my tears.

"What about Charles?" Edward asked.

"Charles didn't just… abuse me." I gasped. "It was so much worse."

"He beat you 'til you were black and blue… how much worse can it get?"

"Edward… he… Charles… raped me." I cried as his face went blank.

"No," he murmured.

"I tried to stop him."

"No," he said looking up to me, devastated. "Not you." He sucked in a breath.

"I'm so sorry."

"Why," he whispered, "didn't you tell me?" he demanded louder.

"I didn't know how."

"Esme," he said as tears filled his eyes. He took my hand in his and squeezed it. "Not you," he cried. "How could he do that to you?"

"I'm sorry."

"Don't!" he yelled, scaring me.

"Edward," Carlisle reprimanded.

"Don't say you're sorry," he seethed, shooting up onto his feet. He began pacing, running his hands through his hair like a mad man. He suddenly stopped, and his eyes zeroed in on Carlisle. "You knew?"

"I found out by accident. I came home early one day and she still had bruises on her thighs. She wasn't expecting me, so she wore shorts while cooking. I knew without her telling me," Carlisle explained.

"You didn't tell me?" he yelled. "She is my sister, damn it, and you - my best friend - didn't tell me!"

Carlisle ducked his head. "It wasn't my place."

"Wasn't your place?" he asked. "Is this why you said she needed to talk to someone?"

"What?" I asked.

"That was before I knew," Carlisle said.

"You think I need help?" I asked, suddenly feeling hurt.

"I thought it would be beneficial. I still do, but it's not my place to tell you that," he told me.

"How could you not have told me? You've known for months," Edward said.

"I asked him not to."

"Why didn't _you_ tell me?" he asked.

"I didn't know how. What was I supposed to say, Edward?"

"I asked you if he had hurt you anywhere else the night you got here. That's when you should have told me."

"I couldn't!" I yelled. "Do you know what it was like for me?" I cried. "I woke up, my head was killing me, my body ached in places I didn't even know could, and I knew I had to get away from him. I came here to you, Edward. I came to my big brother for help. I knew how much it hurt you to know he beat me. I didn't want to cause you anymore pain."

"Sissy," he said, kneeling down in front of me. He took my face in his hands and I looked away. "Sissy," he repeated as I glanced up to his hurt face. "I wish you had told me. I'm so sorry if I made you feel as though you couldn't, but I'm here now, and I know. I'll help you in any way you need, even if you just needed me to know."

"She told you today for a reason, Edward," Carlisle said.

"Why?"

"He called me," I wept as fury flashed through his eyes.

"I'll kill him," he seethed as his nostrils flared.

"I think it would be better handled by the police," Carlisle spoke up, saving me from having to do so.

"I'll call Charlie," Edward said.

"Chief Swan?" I asked.

"He is the chief of police. He'll know what to do," he told me. "Charles is not going to hurt you again, sissy. I won't let him," he said, pressing a chaste kiss to my forehead before disappearing out of the living room.

I cried as I sat on the sofa. I heard footsteps then felt the dip of the couch as a hand took mine. I looked up to Carlisle. He had his normal compassionate and caring smile on his face, but his eyes were sad. He was hurting, but I couldn't understand why. What did this matter to him? Why did he even care?

"How are you doing?" he asked me.

"I feel… like a weight has been lifted off of my chest, but something is still holding me down," I cried.

"Charlie will figure out a plan. He'll contact the authorities in Seattle and they'll find Charles. He's not going to hurt you."

"I don't know… Can this really be over that easily?"

"You'll have to press charges against him. Stand up in court and tell others what he did to you, so I don't think it will be easy, but I know you can do it."

"What proof do I have that can be used against him?"

"I'll witness and attest to what happened once you got here. No, we don't have… physical proof anymore, but I mean, it's obvious what he's done to you."

"But will strangers believe me over him?"

"Yes," he said with such conviction I almost believed him.

Chief Swan was coming over just around dinner time, so I decided to make something for all of us to eat. I realized as I cooked the pork for the stir fry, that this was Bella's father who was coming over. The man who may one day be Eddie's father-in-law and I was supposed to tell _him _what Charles did to me? What if he thinks differently of Edward because of this? Edward loved Bella, and I didn't want anything to stand in the way of their relationship. And if her dad thought less of Edward because of this, it could be harmful for them. What if Chief Swan didn't want his daughter mixed into this mess – especially after what's she's been through herself.

"Charlie's here," Edward said, coming into the kitchen.

I wiped my hands on my apron, and then removed it before hanging it back on the pantry door, and followed him back into the living room. Carlisle was just opening the door for the man in the police uniform. Chief Swan looked to be in his late fifties, with salt and pepper hair and a moustache. He looked a little scruffy with his five o'clock shadow and outdoorsman appearance.

"Charlie," Edward nodded his head before shaking the chief's hand.

"Edward," he greeted then looked to me. "Hello, Ms. Masen. Though I wish we would have met under better circumstances, it's still a pleasure," he said, lifting his hand for mine. I shook it gently and folded my arms back around my torso, as if to keep myself together.

"Dinner is ready," I said. "I was hoping you might want to join us?"

"I'd love to. Thank you."

Carlisle helped me dish the food and set it on the table as Edward and Chief Swan caught up. It seemed Eddie had a good relationship with Bella's father – of course, he did. Edward Masen was very likable when he wanted to be. He was a doctor, smart, easy on the eyes, and very compassionate. Usually, it was mothers that ate that up. Maybe Chief Swan could just see that Eddie really was a good person, perfect for his daughter.

"This is great, Ms. Masen," the chief said between bites.

"Please, call me Esme."

"Es is a great cook. Carlisle and I have been spoiled since she came. I think I've gained ten pounds." Edward laughed, patting his stomach. He was such a liar, ten pounds my behind.

"I can imagine. When Bella moved back when she was younger and started cooking, I felt like a spoiled child with her cooking. Not to mention my wallet being heavier from not eating at the diner every night," he said.

Dinner consisted of idle conversation. Chief Swan told me to call him Charlie and he said no matter the circumstances, it was great that I'd decided to move here and if I needed help finding a job to let him know. He seemed a lot like Bella, very caring, but a little awkward at times. After dinner, we moved into the living room once more. Charlie pulled out his notebook and a pen as he sat across from me. Apparently, it was time to talk once more.

"So, Edward said you left Seattle because your boyfriend became abusive. Is that correct?" he asked.

"Yes," I said.

"He didn't go into detail about the abuse… was it emotional, physical… sexual?" he asked, pausing on the last word.

"All of them," I whispered as he nodded.

"What's his full name?"

"Charles Michael Evenson."

"And his age?"

"Thirty-two."

"Address?"

"772 West Waterford Place, apartment 308."

"Was that your address as well?"

"Yes."

"Well, the biggest thing about starting a criminal investigation is proof. Do you have messages – written or electronic – to show he was abusive?"

"No."

"And I'm guessing there are no photos of your injures?"

"No," I said as tears began forming. I knew what he was going to say.

"Well, then, um… I'm afraid there isn't much I can do. We'll get a restraining order and we'll go from there. Without proof, I can't go to the DA in Port Angeles. It's he said, she said right now. I'm really sorry, Esme. I wish there was more I could do but-" Carlisle cut him off.

"I can attest to what I saw and treated her for," he said.

"With no medical file, it wouldn't matter."

"Charlie, please, he found her number! What if he comes after her?" Edward asked.

"We get a restraining order. That's really all we can do. I'm sorry, Edward. I wish there was something I could do. I'm so sorry, Esme."

"It's okay," I whispered, wiping my cheek.

"No, it's not. He raped you, sissy," Edward cried. "He doesn't get to get away with that."

"Edward, you've already been arrested once; you got lucky there was no jail time. Don't press that luck," Charlie said.

"What would you do?" he asked. "You got Bella justice. That man is in jail because you found more connections. Do that for Esme," he begged.

"I'll look into him. If there is anything to find, I will. Maybe hire a PI, find out if he's involved in anything illegal, and we can get him for that."

"He's not. He might be a bastard, but he makes an honest living, and he doesn't do drugs or anything like that," I said, defeated.

I knew there would be nothing anyone could do. If I had gone to the hospital that night… then yes, I'd have evidence, but I hadn't. I'd been too scared. I thought getting away would stop everything, but I was wrong. If I know Charles, then I know he's not done.

"He said he was coming for her. Isn't that something you can use?" Carlisle asked.

"He said what?" I asked.

"When I picked up the phone, he told me to tell you he was coming," he said, apologetically.

I started crying more. "He's not going to stop."

"You need to go to Port Angeles first thing in the morning and petition for an emergency restraining order. If he comes anywhere near you or even makes contact, he'll be arrested," Charlie said.

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><p><strong>AN: **Just a heads up. I do like to go between point of views. But I'll only go between Carlisle's and Esme's in this story. Any others would be outtakes if it does happen.

**Please Review…**


	9. 9th Chapter

**Thank you! **To my wonderful betas **HollettLA **and **MelissaMargaret.**

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

Watching Esme as she did mundane things had become something of a habit for me, a bad habit.

I felt like a stalker of sorts. I'd watch as she made dinner. I'd be pretending to do paperwork, but I was watching her, there was no doubt about it. I've never brought home so much paperwork in my life; it was my excuse to be in the same room with her as she cooked. While she crafted a delectable meal, I was pretending to chart very important facts about patients' care. Important, meaning I accidently wrote Esme's name in a chart more times than I can count. I was sure the hospital transcriptionist had been wondering why I had suddenly developed a love for white-out.

Esme was just so beautiful – my attraction had turned into a full blown obsession. I obsessed about being home just in time for her to start cooking. I obsessed about whether or not she'd like a certain TV show or movie after dinner, and I obsessed about what was going through that beautiful mind of hers.

After filing for the temporary restraining order, Esme had to go to court in Port Angeles to speak to a judge as to why it needed to be permanent. At that time, Charles was also invited to appear and contest it. He had been served a few days prior. Esme was a wreck thinking he'd show up. She and Edward argued over her even going. She said she didn't think it was necessary, and that Charles wouldn't come. She was so afraid of the prospect of seeing him again, she almost didn't go.

To make her feel a little safer, Charlie came with us – gun and all. He promised not to leave her side. Thankfully, Charles didn't show up and the judge granted the permanent restraining order for one-hundred and eighty days. Once it was up, Charles had the right to contest it once more, which meant Esme would have to go through the whole process again in six months.

I was somewhat leery of the fact Charles didn't show. He didn't even try to contest, which begged the question, why? If he was so hell-bent on revenge, then why wouldn't he contest the order, so he had access to Esme? Why wouldn't he try to clear his name? He probably could have. Esme had no evidence. On paper, Charles was a seemingly harmless man. The private investigator Edward hired found nothing to suggest a violent streak. Not even a traffic ticket, for crying out loud – even I have a few of those – so most likely the judge would have found no reason for the order if Charles contested.

"How was your first day at work?" I asked Esme.

Bella had helped her get a job as a receptionist at the high school. It wasn't glamorous work, but Esme couldn't care less. It gave her something to do while she attended online classes to get her teaching degree.

"Oh, so amazing!" She smiled, really smiled.

Oh, how beautiful she was when she did that. Damn Charles for taking that away from her for even a second. She deserved to smile and be truly happy. She deserved to be free and loved. She should have been treated like a princess, a goddess, not a punching bag. If she were mine, I wouldn't let a day go by without telling her how amazing she was – how gorgeous she was. She deserved flowers just because and picnics on sunny days. Clichéd, yes, but true.

"I take it you're enjoying it?" I chuckled as I signed my name a few more times on the papers.

"It's great. I love being out of the house. I'm actually tired."

"Well, hopefully not too tired. Edward's bringing Bella over, and Emmett and Rose are on their way."

"I know. He texted me. Bella's bringing cheesecake."

I chucked. "Yum."

Once Edward and Bella arrived, I helped Esme set the table. Had I mentioned how much I love watching her? While she was cooking, she always wore an apron over her clothes. It was white with red ruffles on the trim of the skirt and cherries covered the front. She tied the sash in a bow around front and just looked perfect. As she moved, the skirt swayed with her. She was magnificent.

"Carlisle," Esme called.

"Hm? What?"

"I asked if you could pass me the bread." She smiled with a laugh. "I've called your name like three times."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was… distracted."

"Obviously," she said as I passed her the bowl of bread pieces.

I heard the doorbell ring and Edward answered it – Rose and Emmett were here. Esme had yet to really get to know them. She had met Rose once when out with Bella, and Emmett in passing at the grocery store, so tonight was a chance for us all to catch up and for her to get to know them better.

"Oh my God! I want that food!" Rose grinned as she walked into the kitchen.

Esme smiled, plating the food. "Steak Gorgonzola?"

"Yes, please. Oh, Esme, you outdid yourself. This looks delicious. Is it wrong that I ignored Bella and came straight to you?"

"She is the one with the food." I smirked. "How are you?" I asked, giving her a gentle hug.

"I'm great. Morning sickness is gone and every single food item tastes amazing."

"I'm sorry, but pickles and hot sauce cannot taste good," Emmett said as he, Edward, and Bella came in.

Rose laughed. "Delicious."

"Eww, I just want to vomit watching it sometimes. The celery and ice cream, okay that's weird, but at least it's tolerable." He snickered.

"I find that more disgusting." Edward laughed.

"Both of you can shut up. I think Rose should get whatever she wants. She is the one carrying the baby," Esme said.

"See, I knew I liked you!" Rose laughed as Esme gave her a plate. She grinned like the Cheshire Cat. "Now, I love you."

We all had a good time eating and talking. I very much enjoyed watching Esme and Rose talk. She was so sympathetic toward Rose, listening closely to anything she said about the pregnancy. When Rose pulled out a sonogram picture, Esme beamed.

"Oh, look at that! Is that a nose?" she asked.

I peeked over at the picture. It wasn't one I had done. In fact, it had to be very recent. I could clearly make out the fetus's gender. No wonder Emmett had been in such a great mood this evening; he was getting a son.

"Yep, isn't it adorable? We just had this done a few days ago," Rose said.

"Oh, let me see," Bella said, holding her hand out. Rose passed the picture along as Bella marveled. Since Edward was sitting right next to her, he got a clear view as well. He patted Emmett on the back.

"Did you find out the sex?" he asked.

"Oh, you mean, do I know I'm having a son since clearly you and Carlisle knew the instant you saw it?" Emmett laughed.

"Emmett!" Rose bellowed. "Maybe I wanted to share that information." She wasn't upset. Her words may have sounded like it, but that smile showed how thrilled she really was.

"A boy!" Esme smiled.

"That is wonderful! Congratulations, you two. I'm so happy for you." Bella smiled.

"It feels like our dreams are coming true," Rose said as she looked to Emmett.

"They are, babe. We have good friends, this little boy, and of course, each other." He kissed her as his hand went to her stomach.

Each one of us admired the couple. I knew how devastated they had been at the prospect of not having children. It was what they wanted, and to think they'd never have that almost destroyed them. Rose was born to be a mother and Emmett would make the best father. He was a child at heart. That boy would be one of the luckiest kids in the world to have them as parents.

"Esme?" Rose asked.

Bella and Esme were doing dishes while the rest of us sat at the table. I tried to help, but Esme denied me.

Esme looked up from the soapy pot and smiled. "Yes?"

"Would you help me design the nursery? I mean, isn't that what your degree is in?"

"It is. I'd love to help." She smiled even bigger. "When did you want to start?"

"Soon, because I have a feeling it's going to be a big job. I'm very picky, though, so we'll have to go to Seattle and do a little shopping so I can get some ideas. All I know right now the color I don't want. Blue!" She laughed.

"Very overused for boys. I've seen a few nurseries done in green or even yellow. Do you have a theme picked out?" Esme asked.

"Are you coming, Carlisle?" Edward asked as he and Emmett stood from their chairs.

"Yeah, sure."

I reluctantly left the kitchen where Esme was and followed them into the living room. Edward, of course, decided it was the best time to celebrate. He pulled out his cigar box – which I didn't think he'd touched in months – and handed one to Emmett and me.

"Isn't this supposed to be done after the child is born?" I asked.

He smirked. "Shut up and come outside."

I followed them both outside and shut the door behind me. Edward took my cigar and cut the tip then handed it back after doing the same to Emmett's.

"Congratulations, man. We're gonna have a shitload of fun with this kid." He laughed, lighting Emmett's.

"Right? Now you and Bella need to get down to business and give him a friend," Emmett said.

"I don't think that's gonna happen. Bella hasn't even brought it up. I don't know if she actually wants kids. She loves her students, but she's never said anything about having her own."

"Well, maybe if you asked her to marry you, these subjects would come up more," I said.

"I want to. I really do, but I don't know if she's ready. I love her and I don't want to lose her by asking that."

"She won't say no. Edward, honestly, you're not getting any younger. It's time you settle down." I laughed.

"You're not much younger than me and you don't even date, so you don't get to talk about settling down."

"You don't date!" Emmett laughed. "Wait, does that mean you're not getting laid?" Suddenly he was getting serious.

"We need to hook him up," Edward said. "What about Kate from the hospital? She has her eye on you."

"No"

"She's hot," Emmett said.

"I'm going to tell your wife you just said that if you don't shut the hell up. I don't need your help getting laid."

"Testy," he laughed. "Obviously you haven't been laid in a while."

Edward smirked. "He hasn't."

"What the hell do you know? Maybe if I didn't live in this hellhole, I'd meet people. I blame you."

"Then let me help."

He had that fucking grin on his face that told me he wasn't going to stop. It wasn't like I could tell him the only woman I'd want was unavailable. Oh, and that she was his sister.

Honestly though, Esme wasn't an option for me. I couldn't have her no matter how much I wanted her. That didn't mean I was going to give in to Edward and Emmett's little plan. Just because I couldn't have Esme, didn't mean I wanted anyone else. I'm happy with who I am, with where I am. I'm not looking for someone to share my life with.

"No, I'm not interested," I told them both.

"Are you gay? Seriously I'm not against it, but why else wouldn't you want to go out with Kate?" Emmett asked.

"I'm not gay. I'm also not blind. Kate is a very beautiful woman. I'm just not interested in dating."

"Why not?" Edward asked.

"I have more important things to worry about. My house, for example. I'm closing on that plot of land just outside of town and I still haven't decided on the type of house I want. The architect in Seattle needs me to pick soon."

"How many bedrooms do you want?" he asked.

"At least three. The master and my study are the only things I've really decided on."

"What are you doing with the other two?" Emmett asked.

"Guest bedrooms, I guess."

"About that, when do you think you'll move out?" Edward asked.

"Whenever it's done. Why?"

"Well, if I ask Bella to marry me, she'll want us to move in together. Her house is bigger, so I'll probably move in with her and give Esme this house. I don't know how she'll feel about it just being you two."

"I can find some place in the meantime. You do what you want."

"I just don't want to make her uncomfortable. I know you two are friends, but she might not be comfortable living with a man alone. I'm just thinking of her."

"It's fine, Edward. I understand."

"I don't want to hurt your feelings."

I rolled my eyes. Hurt my feelings? "Don't worry about it."

I tried not to be a little hurt by it. I understood his reasoning and I understood Esme probably wouldn't be comfortable with it just being us. I'd miss living with her, though. She was a bright spot in my day, but I'd do whatever made her comfortable.

It was late when everyone left. Edward went with Bella to her house, as usual, and left Esme and me at the house alone. She was all smiles after spending time with Bella and Rose. Again, it was so good to see her smile. She lit up the room as she picked up the house.

"I take it you had a good time?" I asked.

"I did. Oh, I can't wait to go with Rose to pick out baby stuff!" She laughed. "I love baby stuff. I feel so honored she asked me to help."

"She's a really great friend. I'm so happy for them both. They deserve this."

"They do. She told me they didn't think they could have kids. Wouldn't that be awful? The one thing you really wanted, you couldn't have."

I pondered that for a moment. It was awful to know that you couldn't have what you truly wanted. I wasn't comparing, but if not being able to have Esme hurt so much, I couldn't imagine how they felt.

"It would be horrible, but they are having a baby. It just took some time. They're getting exactly what they want."

"You know she's terrified something is going to happen? She doesn't think she'll really believe everything until she holds that baby in her arms."

"She hasn't had any complications yet. She made it into her second trimester, so the risk of miscarriage is gone. Hopefully there won't be any complications."

"Good, they deserve this baby. I feel so horrible that they already lost one."

"What?" I didn't know Rose had miscarried before.

"Last year, she lost a baby at seven weeks. They didn't tell you?"

"No… but that explains why they've asked me to do a few ultrasounds. I didn't understand why she was so worried before, but now it makes perfect sense."

"I would be devastated if I lost a child."

"I think everyone would," I said. "So, I take it children are a must for you?"

"Oh, yes, if I ever meet the right person, I'll want at least three kids. Maybe more. What about you?"

"I'd love children, but it would have to be with the right person."

"Agreed. No child deserves to have parents who aren't right for each other. A child deserves a loving mother and father who will always be there for them. That's why Rose's little boy is so lucky. His parents are perfect for each other."

"They are. Did… did you ever consider having kids with Charles?" I had really hoped I wasn't bringing up a bad subject.

"Never. I knew Charles and I weren't in love. I shouldn't have let our relationship go on as long as it did. I knew it was unhealthy from the beginning."

"That's good that you can say that. It means you're healing."

"Healing? I think I am healed, Carlisle. Charles is out of my life."

"That's only the start, Esme. You still need to come to terms with what he did to you. I'm not trying to sound like a therapist, but you have to face what happened."

The smile fell from her face and tears began forming in her eyes. I didn't mean to upset her, but she had to know that just because Charles was gone, didn't mean everything was better. She had a long road ahead of her, and she had barely begun the journey.

"Bella wants me to come with her to a meeting," she whispered as she sat down on the couch. I sat down in the chair next to her, still giving her space.

"And you don't want to?" I asked.

"I don't know if I can. I'm trying to face this, Carlisle. I got that restraining order. I just..." She paused. "I just don't know if I can do that. I don't want to share, or listen to others. I know this happens to people. I just think maybe I should deal with it on my own. What do you think?"

"When I was working my ER rotation, I had a woman brought in – she killed herself. She had a note in her jacket pocket. We read it to find out her identity, and learned her reasoning. She had been raped, and in the note said she just couldn't pretend anymore. She couldn't pretend everything was okay, because it wasn't. The last line said 'I just wish someone had helped me'."

"That's not me."

"I don't want to lose you because no one helped you. You should go to that meeting, just once at least. You never know, it might be what you need."

"You don't want to lose me?"

"You're my friend, Esme. I love you as such and I'd be devastated to lose you. Edward would just be… I know he'd never forgive himself. You might feel like you can do this on your own, but… and I'm not saying you'll do what she did, it's just you can't do this on your own. Please, go to that meeting?"

"Okay, I'll go, but if I can't stand doing that and I leave, please don't try to force me to go again."

"I won't. Thank you. You don't know how happy it makes me to know you'll at least try." I smiled and reached over to grasp her hand. She folded her fingers around mine as she smiled.

"You'll be here to talk to afterwards, right? I might need someone to just let me cry." She was starting to get choked up. Tears were forming in her beautiful green eyes.

"I'll be here."

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><p><strong>Please Review…<strong>


	10. 10th Chapter

**A/N: **Check out my profile to see the banner for this story. It's beautiful if I do say so myself. And was made by the amazing RachelxMichelle.

**Thank you so much! **To my amazing betas HollettLA and MelissaMargaret.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><span>Esme's POV<span>

When I stood next to Bella outside the small community center in Port Angeles, I was frightened. I honestly didn't want to go in there. Going in there meant I had to face what Charles did, and I really didn't want to do that. I wanted to go back to thinking I had everything worked out, but Carlisle was right. I needed to do this.

Obviously sensing how frightened I was, Bella grasped my hand in hers and flashed me a smile. With her next to me, I walked in. The room where the meeting was held was quite plain. There was nothing special about it.

A few women were scattered about, drinking their coffee and chatting amongst themselves. Bella led me over to two chairs in the circle and we sat. My palms were sweating and my leg twitched from nerves. A part of me just wanted to run out the door and never look back, but I didn't. I stayed in that chair with Bella holding my hand and smiling reassuringly each time I looked to her.

The meeting started when one woman stood and introduced herself as Melanie. She began by going over a few rules. There was no interrupting, stay seated unless you needed to excuse yourself, everything that was said there needed to remain there, and most importantly, no judgment. The meeting began by everyone talking about their lives since the last meeting; what troubles they faced, how they coped, and what they could have done differently.

"Before we start, I'd like to welcome any new people. We're very happy to see you," Melanie said as she looked to me. "If you'd like to share, you may once the circle comes to you. If not, that's up to you."

I listened to the women talk. I watched some cry, and others bow their heads. Once each person was done speaking, Melanie asked if anyone would like to say anything. A few women offered their condolences – others just stood and hugged the woman. Bella actually spoke after one woman told everyone how she had faced her rapist in court this past week. Bella offered her support and said she was so proud the woman stood up to the man. I assumed the two had spoken often, considering their candor.

"Would you like to share, Esme?" Melanie asked, reading the nametag stuck on my shirt.

"No, thank you."

"All right then, Bella?" she asked.

"Thanks, Melanie," Bella said. "I know it's been a few weeks since I've attended a meeting and I apologize. Life has been a little hectic now that school's back in session. I just want to say I am so proud of all of you for sharing today. You all are so strong and brave for even coming here." She looked to me.

"This group has helped me so much. Because of you guys, I let myself be open to loving someone and trusting him with everything I have. I want you guys to know there are really good men out there. I know we've all been through some terrible things, but not every man is like that. Some are just so good you can hardly believe they love you." She smiled.

"I met that man for me and he's been nothing but supportive. And now I have to be supportive for him, and it's because of this group I can be." She squeezed my hand once more. "It took me a long time to accept what happened to me because I didn't even remember it. I sometimes wish I didn't know, but another part of me - a bigger part is glad I do, because he's in jail because of it. Healing doesn't happen quickly. It's a long road and I often wanted to give up, but I didn't, and I'm so thankful I didn't."

Once the meeting ended, Bella said her goodbyes as I waited for her. When she was done, we made our way to her truck. I didn't say anything as I climbed in the cab and she began driving.

"Do you think you'll want to go back?" she asked after a few minutes.

"I… I don't know."

"Were you uncomfortable with the group setting?"

"I didn't want to share my personal business with people I didn't know. I don't think a group is for me - at least not right now."

"I know a really great therapist. Her name is Carmen and I'm sure if I gave her a call, she'd meet with you."

"I think that might be better. I'm not comfortable around others. I'm not comfortable talking about this with people I don't know."

"I'll call her. She's here in Port Angeles, so it's a long drive, but you can decide how often you'd like to meet with her."

"Thank you, Bella. Whether or not I go back, I just want you to know you really helped me by taking me."

"You're welcome. If you ever change your mind, let me know. I'll come with if you want me to."

It was just after two in the morning when I made my way toward the kitchen for some water. It had been a stressful day after attending that meeting with Bella, and I just couldn't turn my brain off to go to bed. Listening to those other women gave me a lot to think about. I did want to heal. I wanted to work through my issues and be myself again, but I just didn't know how.

As I was about to head back to my room, I heard a sound from the living room. It sounded like the treadmill. I knew Edward was sound asleep – his snoring in the room next to mine gave that away – so I guessed it was Carlisle. I wondered why he was up so late. I peeked around the corner, and what I saw had my eyes bulging.

I was right. It was Carlisle. What I hadn't anticipated was him being shirtless, or so… sweaty. He wore just a light pair of black shorts and tennis shoes as he ran. He wasn't taking it easy, by any means. He was huffing and puffing as he ran, and the drops of sweat fell down his face. He just wiped them away and ran his hand through his hair, creating a perfect mess of the blonde locks. My eyes inadvertently traveled downward. He had sweat on his chest and abdomen as well. With the light, I could see the beads glistening on his abs. His chest was sculpted, which was something I hadn't expected.

Some far off part of my mind told me it was wrong to watch him, but I wasn't going to look away now. Not when he pressed the speed up higher and began running faster. Not a single part of him shook – that I could see at least. He was a very fine man. He took great care of himself and I very much appreciated that.

My mind suddenly began coming up with images of my hands roaming those abs, touching him in ways I hadn't touched a man before. I wanted to push him against the wall and… Oh God, what was I saying?

I left the room in a hurry, before he could notice me. I was so embarrassed to be thinking those things about Carlisle. He had been nothing but a friend to me – a good friend – and here I was imagining him doing things to me no man had ever done. I had always been so vanilla when it came to sex - missionary, nothing crazy - but here I was thinking about him taking me on the kitchen counter, or in a car, or even, dare I say it, in the supply closet of the hospital. I was sick. There was no other explanation. How could I be thinking those things right now?

After running cold water over my face to calm myself down, I laid back down in bed to try and sleep. I just thought of Carlisle, though. I thought of his body as I touched it. I thought of his lips kissing mine. I just couldn't stop thinking of him doing anything and everything I could imagine, pleasure wise. I imagined those surgeon's hands were very skilled in many ways. I thought of the knowledge he most likely held of the female body and the things he could do with it…

"Esme," Carlisle's soft voice whispered.

"Carlisle?" It was so late, what was he doing in here?

I looked to the door as he pushed it open the rest of the way. He was still in those shorts, still shirtless and somewhat sweaty. Oh, my. He walked in and shut the door behind him. I couldn't help but wonder what he was doing in my room so late.

"Why are you here?" I asked.

I could see his smirk through the moonlight pouring in from my window. "I saw you."

I flushed bright red. Oh, no. He must think I'm insane. A stalker. I had been watching him so intently. How didn't I notice that he saw me?

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean–" He cut me off with a laugh.

"Oh, I think I know exactly what you meant. I think I know just what you wanted to see." I watched helplessly as he toed his sneakers off.

"Carlisle, I think you misunderstood."

He didn't reply. He just lowered his shorts with a devilish grin as he stood in those light blue boxer briefs that cupped his large length. By large, I mean, large. My eyes bulged at the sight. He just chuckled.

"Am I still misunderstanding?" he asked as he walked closer and took my face in his hands. "You want this, don't you?"

I couldn't have stopped myself even if I wanted to. "Yes," I whispered as his lips touched mine. I jolted at the shock. It was electric. There was something in his kiss that made me want more. I had never been kissed like that before.

He lowered his body over mine as I laid back down and my hands went to his hair. The blonde locks were as soft, if not softer, than I had imagined. He supported himself on his left elbow as his right hand traveled to the back of my head and pulled me further into his mouth. I just wanted to shout "Yes!" and "More!"

I pouted as he pulled away and leaned back on his knees. How could he have stopped?

He moved his hands to the buttons on my nightshirt.

"This needs to come off," he told me as he flicked each button open and pulled the shirt open to reveal my bare chest. I could feel my cheeks grow warm as I blushed. What if he didn't like what he saw?

"Beautiful," he murmured as his hand traced from my navel up to my breast. My back arched into his touch. It felt so good.

"Uh… yes," I whimpered as he lowered his face back to mine. Our lips crashed together with more urgency this time. I felt needy. I needed him like oxygen.

"Esme," he groaned as we parted for a moment. I pulled his face back to mine. He wasn't getting the chance to stop now.

"Carlisle, please, more," I panted against his lips.

He moved just a little as he let go of my face and let his hand travel down my body. I hoped and prayed for it to go just where it went. He slid his hand past my panties and cupped me. Warmth spread through my body like wildfire as he traced my slit. God, yes!

"You're so wet. All for me I hope, yes?"

"All for you." I panted harder as his index finger circled my clit. His touch was light, but certain. He knew what he was doing and how to make me feel good. Just as I had assumed, he was very talented, and played my body like the skillful man he was.

Circle, flick, rub, and repeat…

I could feel the coil low in my stomach about to snap as he continued his ministrations, all while his tongue tangled with mine. I was so close. I just needed a little more…

"Come for me, my beautiful Esme. Let yourself go." His voice was rough and filled with need, but I still couldn't. I was close, but not quite there. "Now," he demanded.

"Oh, Carlisle!" I moaned as I jolted awake. My body was covered in a light sheen of sweat. I had just… oh God!

I quickly sat up – still panting, mind you – and hurried off to the bathroom. The sun had come up as I turned the shower on. I worried if anyone had heard me. How loud had I been? I was utterly embarrassed, but at the same time I felt so good. I didn't know what to think.

After showering to calm myself down, I dressed and left my room for the kitchen. The clock said it was just six. I knew Carlisle and Edward were probably getting up soon, so I started breakfast.

The eggs were just finishing as I heard someone's neck pop. I turned around to find Carlisle tying his tie as he walked through the doorway. I dropped the pan that I had been spooning the eggs out of – making a mess all over the floor. I was klutzy and grabbed the pan too far up on the handle. The burning flared through my index finger as I yanked it away.

"Damn it!" I cursed, immediately pressing my finger to my lips to cool the burn.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked as he kneeled down next to me and picked up the pan.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said, turning to the sink and starting the water. I ran my finger under it.

"Let me see," he said, trying to touch my hand. I yanked it away quickly, fearful not that he would hurt me, but of his touch eliciting feelings I didn't want to have near him.

"It's fine. Edward will look at it, but it's fine."

The tiny patch was already starting to blister. I touched a very hot pan, of course it would blister. I just wanted to scream and cry at my clumsiness. Of all the times I could injure myself, did it really have to be today – not even an hour after I had _that _kind of dream about Carlisle?

"It's blistering," he pointed out.

"I know!" I snapped.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No," I sighed. "I'm just having… a bad morning."

"I'll get you some burn ointment. You'll want to keep the ointment on and wrap it with gauze."

"Thank you." He was gone in seconds and I looked down at the mess I had created. Breakfast was ruined, and then I began smelling burnt toast. _Wonderful._

"What the hell happened in here?" Edward asked as he looked at my mess.

"Can you just help me clean it up?" I was getting snappy again. I held my injured finger close to my chest and I popped the toast up.

"What happened to you?" he asked, taking my hand from me. He inspected the burn for a few seconds. "This needs ointment."

"I've got it," Carlisle said as he set the tube and gauze packet on the counter.

"Thank you," I said.

"I'll clean this up," he said.

"I'll help you, sissy," Edward said as he washed his hands quickly, before opening the packet and unscrewing the lid off the ointment.

He spread the ointment over the small blister and wrapped the gauze around it before helping Carlisle clean up. I just told them I was tired and to have a good day before retreating to my room – thoroughly embarrassed.

I honestly wanted to crawl under a rock and forget everything that had happened since last night. I just wished I hadn't gotten water. It was the water's fault, or at least that's what I was blaming. If I hadn't gotten water, I wouldn't have seen Carlisle like that, and then I wouldn't have had that dream! I didn't know if I'd ever be able to look at him the same way again, and my heart ached at that thought.

A stupid dream may have ruined what had been such a good friendship. How can someone just… un-think those things? Mind bleach, that's was what I needed. Pour it in and forget everything. I can forget that, right? It was just a dream, a silly dream. People have those kinds of dreams all the time and it doesn't affect their lives. Though, I wasn't sure that was just a dream. I had an _orgasm _from it. I hadn't had one of those in… dear Lord, I don't know how long.

It was official, my life was just sad. I literally spent the rest of the morning holed up in my room. At one point, I opened my drawer to find that self-help bullshit book I bought almost three months ago when I went to the bookstore with Bella. I don't know what I was looking for when I bought it. At the time, I figured I could still help myself. I had never been more wrong.

If that dream told me anything, it was that I needed to get the right help so I could be happy and feel that way in real life. I tossed the self-help book in the trash and called Bella around noon. It was Saturday, so I assumed she would answer. Thankfully, I was right.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Bella, it's Esme. Is there any way… could you call that woman for me? I need to talk to her."

"Sure, Esme. I have her cell number; I'll call her now."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. You're doing the right thing in asking for help. I just know you'll be able to get through this."

I spent the rest of the weekend doing my best to avoid Carlisle. In a pure stroke of luck, he had been busy and stayed at the hospital Saturday night because of a few surgeries. If there had ever been a time when people needed to have surgery, it was now. When I did see him Sunday morning, he was so tired he just said good morning then went to bed. I didn't have to avoid looking him in the eyes because he didn't even look at me. I had never been so thankful not to see those blue eyes.

Sunday evening, Carlisle was still in bed, so it was just Edward and me for dinner. We decided to go to the diner again. He really liked the diner, and it meant I didn't have to cook. I loved cooking, but it was nice to not have to every once in a while.

"I'm really proud of you, sissy," Edward said as we waited for our food to arrive.

"What are you talking about?"

"Bella told me you agreed to talk to someone, a professional. Please don't think she was breaking your confidence, because she wasn't trying to. I was worried about you, and told her so last night. She said she called her therapist, Carmen, for you. You have an appointment Monday morning." He smiled.

"It's time I figure out how to move on."

His smile turned into a grin. "I knew you could get back to being yourself. I've missed you like this. You know what you need, and you're doing what's best again. God, I've hated seeing you so lost."

"It hasn't exactly been a good few months. I just want to be myself again, maybe even a better me. I don't want to ever get into that type of situation again. I was so stupid to get involved with Charles."

"Why did you?"

"I don't know, Eddie. Maybe Carmen can help me figure that out so I don't make the same mistake twice."

"I won't let you make that mistake again. I should have protected you better."

"Edward, I'm an adult. We're not kids anymore. I'm not that little girl who needed her big brother to pick her up from that party when she was twelve because boys were there." I laughed at the memory.

"I remember that. Mom and Dad didn't answer, so you called me. I was up studying so I could apply to Harvard Medical. I paid that cabbie extra to get me there as fast as fucking possible because you were crying."

"You called the girl's parents to tell them she had boys over!"

"That nanny should have been paying better attention. Little snot deserved it after what she called you."

"'Cry baby'. Yep, I remember."

"I took you back to my apartment and we watched _The Lion King_ until you fell asleep. You were so upset."

"I was twelve! Sure I liked boys, but that didn't mean I wanted to play Seven Minutes in Heaven. More like Seven Minutes in Hell. That boy smelled."

"Fucker was just lucky he was twelve and I couldn't touch him."

"I remember when you dropped me off at school that Monday and you just gave him the evilest of looks. I thought he was going to piss himself."

He laughed as the waitress dropped off our food. "I wish he had," he said as he took a bite of his steak.

"Is it good?" I asked as I mixed my chicken in with the salad on my plate.

"Yup." He chewed.

I laughed. "Don't talk with your mouth full." He just grinned, and then acted childish and opened his mouth.

"Do you like _see _food?" He laughed.

"Eww, Eddie!"

I hadn't had so much fun with Edward in such a long time. That dinner made me remember how I used to be and how I wanted to be like that again. I just wanted to laugh like that more. I really hoped therapy would help me get back to my old self.

When we got home that night, Edward and I walked into the kitchen with my leftovers and found Carlisle eating alone. He was still in his scrub bottoms and a t-shirt. I felt bad because he must have been exhausted to not even have changed, and on top of that, we left him to eat alone.

"Late night?" Edward asked as I buried my head in the fridge to reorganize. I still couldn't look at Carlisle the same way.

"Hunting accident came in after you left. I was in surgery with him until midnight, and then I had a gallbladder that had to be removed. Yeah, late night. I didn't get home until nine this morning. You were still asleep," Carlisle said.

"Both doing okay?"

"Hunting accident was flown to Seattle after he was stabilized. Last I heard, he was doing pretty well. I'll send gallbladder home tomorrow or Tuesday depending on his pain."

"Great. Hey, sissy, did you tell Carlisle the good news?" Edward asked me.

"Good news? How was that meeting by the way? We haven't talked since you went. I was going to ask you yesterday morning, but you were a little preoccupied," Carlisle said.

"I don't think I'm going back there. I uh… I'm meeting with a therapist tomorrow before work," I said as I kept my back to him, not daring to look at him.

"That's great!" I heard the chair scoot back, then his footsteps. His hand touched my back and I shuddered.

"Esme?" he asked.

"S…sorry, you surprised me," I lied.

"I was just going to give you a hug. May I?"

Oh no, no, no, no, no!

It wasn't like I could say "no" though. That would just make it obvious I was acting weird around him, so I nodded my head and turned around as his arms enveloped me in a gentle embrace. Part of me just wanted to relish the moment. It felt good to be in his arms, very safe. The other part of me just wanted to push him away because As I took in a breath, his scent assaulted my senses. He smelled so good, and once again my mind was going to the wrong place.

"I'm so happy for you," he said as he let me go.

"Thank you."

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><p><strong>Please Review…<strong>


	11. 11th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollttLA and MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

I was so happy that Esme was going to speak with a professional. I knew she really needed to, despite what she had been saying, so her doing this thrilled me. I wanted her to get the help she needed. I wanted her to feel better. Really, I just wanted her to be happy again.

After letting her go from our quick embrace, she left the kitchen in a hurry. I had a feeling something was wrong, and she wasn't telling me. I didn't think I had done anything wrong. I hadn't even seen her much since Friday. I was hoping it was just her nerves about meeting with a therapist, because I didn't want her to be upset with me.

"Is it just me or did she run out of here?" Edward asked.

"She's acting different around me. Yesterday, she snapped at me when I tried to look at her finger."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Did you do something?"

"No! At least, I don't think I did. I've barely seen her, let alone talked to her enough to upset her."

"She was fine with me."

"Did she even look me in the eyes?"

"Nope. I swear to God, Carlisle, if you do anything to upset her…"

"I haven't and you know I would never hurt her."

"I know. I just… She acted like my sister today. She laughed like she used to, and I don't want anything to mess that up. I know you'd never hurt her. Hell, if I got to pick her next boyfriend, you'd be top on my list." He laughed.

My eyes went wide. He couldn't know, could he? When he laughed harder, I knew it was just a joke and laughed lightly with him.

"Seriously, though, don't even think about it. I don't care if you could beat my ass into the ground. I'm very good friends with the chief of police."

"You have nothing to worry about," I said as his phone rang.

"It's Emmett," he said as he put it to his ear.

"Hey, Emmett, what's up?" he asked. "I'll meet you at the hospital. Just keep her calm. Is she bleeding?"

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Something's wrong with Rose. Dr. Snow is out of town," he told me before turning his attention back to Emmett. "I'm leaving right now."

"I'll come with," I said.

"Can you go tell Esme?" he asked.

"Sure," I said before jogging out of the kitchen towards Esme's room.

I knocked and waited for her to answer the door. When she opened it, she looked surprised to see me.

"Carlisle… what do you need?"

"Something's wrong with Rose. Edward and I are going to the hospital. Will you be all right here by yourself?"

"I'll come with. Is she okay?" she asked, pulling a sweatshirt over her head.

"I don't know. Emmett just called Edward. He didn't say what was wrong."

"Oh God, I hope she's okay."

We all left the house in a hurry. Edward explained that Rose was cramping, but she wasn't bleeding, which was a good sign. She was just at thirty weeks, so I dearly hoped she wasn't in labor. The baby would be premature and there was a possibility he wouldn't make it.

They had just found out the sex a few weeks ago. They had wanted to be surprised, but they just couldn't wait, so they found out late. They were so elated it was a boy. They would be absolutely devastated if they lost him now. I had told Esme I thought Rose would be fine. When we had talked, Rose was late in her second trimester, so she wouldn't miscarry. What if I was wrong? Though, this technically wouldn't be a miscarriage, she could still lose the baby.

Once we arrived at the hospital, Edward found out Rose was already in an exam room. Esme and I took a seat in the waiting room as he went back to check on her.

"I thought you said she wouldn't miscarry?" Esme asked.

"It's not a miscarriage after twenty weeks."

"But she could still lose the baby?"

"Yes. Woman can always lose the baby. The risk just goes down the further along she is."

She began crying. "I hope she's going to be okay."

I reached over and clasped her hand in mine. "She will be." I prayed I wasn't wrong.

We waited for almost twenty minutes before Edward came out. He looked upset, which worried me. Esme and I stood as he came closer.

"She's in labor, but I've started her on magnesium sulfate to stop the contractions. Hopefully we can get them stopped, but in case we can't, I gave her steroids and called for transport to Seattle," he told us.

"What if you can't? Will the baby be all right?" Esme asked.

"I don't know. This isn't exactly the best facility for a preemie. If she has to deliver, it would be best if she were in Seattle. Harborview has an excellent neo-natal unit. Thirty weeks is very early, but he has a good chance with the right care," he said.

"Have you called Bella?" I asked.

"I did, but since Rose is being moved as soon as the medevac gets here, there's no reason for her to come. Emmett called his and Rose's parents. Rose's are on their way to Seattle as we speak and Emmett's were getting the earliest fight they could out of Nashville. Transport should be here within the next twenty minutes, so you two should come say goodbye."

We all walked into the ER exam room. Rose was, of course, hooked up to a fetal heart monitor with tears drying on her cheeks. Emmett sat beside her, holding her hand as he murmured reassurances. When she noticed us, she tried to smile.

"Oh, Rose, I'm so sorry, but everything's going to be okay," Esme said as she gave her a soft hug.

"I hope so. He's so tiny," Rose cried.

"We're here for you two. I'm sorry," I said as I hugged her.

"Thanks for coming. It means a lot that you both came."

"Of course, we'd come. And we'll go to Seattle if you want us to," Esme said.

"No, you both have to work and Seattle is so far," Rose said

"Yeah, we don't want you two to do that. Everything's gonna be fine," Emmett said.

"Are you sure? I can come if you'd like," Esme said as Rose grasped her abdomen.

"Ah-ow," she moaned as Esme put her hand in hers while she squeezed Esme's and Emmett's tight. She was having a contraction.

"Just breathe, babe. Just breathe," Emmett chanted.

"Something's wrong!" she cried. "This doesn't feel… like usual," she panted as Edward and I looked to each other. He quickly had the monitor take her blood pressure once more before pressing his hand to her stomach. She cried out. He moved the blankets – thinking the same thing I was. The bright red spreading out around her confirmed my worst fear.

"She's hemorrhaging," Edward said.

"Call an OR now. Make sure that medevac is here by the time I get the baby out. I'll go scrub," I said, rushing from the room.

I hadn't performed an emergency Caesarian in a while, and I've never had to do it solo, but Rose needed me. If I didn't get the bleeding under control and the baby out, they would both die. I couldn't let Rose die. I couldn't let that baby die.

Esme's POV

The nurses and Edward rushed Rose out of the room only moments after Carlisle disappeared into what seemed like thin air. Edward didn't have many words for Emmett. He just said he'd make sure Rose and the baby were taken care of, and he'd be out as soon as he could. He told him the baby would be taken straight to the medevac and Rose would be transported by ambulance once she was stable.

Once I turned to Emmett, I noticed the tears in his eyes. Of course, he was devastated. They hadn't planned on having a baby for at least another two months. The little boy was due in November and it was barely the middle of September now.

"They'll be okay," I told him as I grasped his hand while we walked out to the waiting room the nurse directed us to.

"They have to be. Rose is my life… I can't live without her."

"Carlisle will take care of her. He's trained to handle these types of emergencies and I know Edward will do everything he can."

"We haven't even begun the nursery yet. Our baby is going to be born any moment and we're not ready."

"I'll make sure it's done by the time he comes home. Rose and I already discussed what she wanted. I'll make sure it's perfect for him, just what she wants," I said. "Do you want me to call your families? I think Edward said they were already on their way to Seattle."

"I'll tell them what's going on, but I guess since they're both still going there they don't need to come here first. Maybe call Bella while I call them?"

"I'll call her."

Bella was wide awake and waiting for any news, so she was going to come right away. I told her what I knew, which wasn't much. She said she'd be at the hospital in ten minutes. When I returned to Emmett, he had just hung up with his parents. He was quickly wiping away his tears. He wanted to look strong, but I knew this had to be so difficult for him.

"How are you doing? Is there anything I can get you?" I asked.

"No." He shook his head. "I wonder how long it will take until we know anything."

"I'm sure the second there's any news to be told, we'll know."

"You know we picked a name? He's Andrew. Little Andy. Rose wanted to name him Oliver, but I said I wanted a strong name because he was going to be a strong man someday. I was already planning on teaching him how to throw a ball the minute he could grip the thing." He laughed despondently.

"You'll get to. And I love the name Andrew. Andrew McCarty. It sounds great."

"Andrew Dale McCarty to be exact. No matter what his first name was, she wanted his middle to be mine."

"It sounds like a very strong name for a very strong boy. He'll be okay."

"God, I hope so. Rose can't handle losing another child. She won't be able to. Not this far along. Not knowing he's a boy and loving him so much."

Once Bella arrived, I left to get coffee for all of us. She sat with him and held his hand while he broke down. Seeing such a strong man so vulnerable was heartbreaking.

It seemed like hours passed before Edward emerged from behind the closed doors in scrubs. He didn't look devastated, but he also didn't look pleased. I was so worried something had happened to one of them.

"The baby is out. He took a breath, but he's not breathing well enough on his own, so we intubated him. He's getting ready to be loaded onto the medevac. Emmett, you should go with him," he said, clasping his hand on Emmett's large shoulder.

"And Rose? Is she okay?" Emmett asked.

Edward paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "She's still hemorrhaging. Carlisle's having trouble controlling the bleeding, but she's still alive. He won't give up."

Emmett cried. "Oh God, Rosie."

"Emmett, the medevac needs to leave soon. You really should go with him. Carlisle is going to go with Rosalie once she's stable, so there won't be room for you with her. Go with your son. It's what Rose would want."

"I… I can't leave her."

"You won't be able to go with her. Go with your son and once she gets there you'll see her."

"Emmett, you should go," I said as Bella nodded with me.

He took a moment to reply, thinking over his options. "I'll go. Where is he?"

"Follow me," Edward said.

"Good luck, Emmett. He's a strong boy. He'll be okay, and you know Carlisle will save Rose," I said.

"We'll keep you all in our thoughts," Bella said.

"Thanks," he said, hugging us both before leaving with Edward.

I could hear the medevac out in the parking lot. It was so loud everyone in the hospital could probably hear it. Bella and I watched out the window as it took off with Emmett and his little boy. I said a silent prayer that Andy would be okay.

Once the medevac was out of sight, Edward came back in. He wrapped Bella in his arms and kissed her with such passion. It seemed that during this time, they needed each other to keep strong. It was wrong of me, but I was jealous of my brother and Bella. I wanted someone to rush to me and wrap me in their arms when times were hard. Someone to murmur that it was going to be okay like Edward was doing for Bella. It was times like this I just wanted someone to keep me strong.

I hadn't known Rose or Emmett very long, but they were my friends. I could already tell we'd be friends for many years. It felt like we already had. I felt horrible for them both. I felt so bad for Emmett. His wife and child could die. I felt bad for Rose as well. She was in an operating room fighting for her life when she should have been happy and healthy – still planning for the birth of her first-born child. This wasn't right. God made a mistake by putting them through this. Two people as good as they were didn't deserve this.

"What's going to happen to Rose?" Bella asked as she and Edward sat down next to me. I wondered why Edward wasn't going back into the operating room. That was where he should have been.

"It's not looking good, love," he told her.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Rose is hemorrhaging at an alarming rate. Carlisle's doing everything he can, but if he can't control the bleeding, she will die," he said.

"Why aren't you in there?" I asked.

"He made me leave."

"Why?" I asked.

"I was getting emotional, and he needs peace and quiet if he's going to save her. She's been my friend for almost four years. To me, that's who was on the table, a friend, not a patient. To be someone's doctor, you have to be unattached, or at least be able to act as such. When someone's life is on the line like hers is, they don't need a friend. They need a doctor. Carlisle can do that and I can't."

"But Carlisle is her friend too. How can he be unattached?"

"He's very good. He doesn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. That's why he's such an amazing surgeon. He's caring and compassionate to everyone, but when he needs to, he can turn that off and be clinical. Trust me, I wanted to punch him for kicking me out, but he's right. I can't be in there."

"If Carlisle can't stop the bleeding, is there some other way to make sure she survives?" Bella asked.

"He was getting ready to perform a hysterectomy. That's one of the reasons I was getting so emotional. Rose wants a big family. She won't get one if he does that," he said.

"Oh, poor Rose," I murmured.

"She's going to be devastated," Bella said.

"Like Carlisle said, he's sure she'd much rather be alive than dead. She has a son to take care of," he said.

"Will she really see it that way?" I asked.

"She's going to be upset. I know Rose. She will be devastated. I think that's another reason he kicked me out. He wanted the decision to be on him, so he's the one she can be angry with."

We waited and waited. The clock ticked on. Rose had been in there for twenty minutes since Emmett left, then thirty, and forty. After an hour, we were all getting worried. Edward began pacing and mumbling things. He said this long meant Carlisle performed the hysterectomy. After an hour and a half, he began walking back to the doors to find out what was going on. That was when Carlisle pushed through the door. He looked tired as he pulled the mask down. He looked upset.

"How is she?" Edward asked.

"Stable. I didn't have a choice," he said.

"She can't have any more kids," Edward sighed.

"No, but she's alive and her vitals have stabilized. I'm waiting until morning to send her to Seattle. She needs to rest right now."

"Can we see her?" Bella asked.

"Yes, only two at a time, though. She needs peace and quiet right now."

Carlisle told Edward what room she was in then the two of them left. I sat back down in the plastic chair. Again I felt so horrible for Rose. Carlisle sighed, pulled the cap off of his head and sat next to me.

"You saved her life," I said.

"I did. I also took away her ability to have children," he said as he ran his hand through his hair.

"But you saved her life and that of her son. You're a hero."

"No, I'm not," he scoffed. "Rose is a maternal person. All she wants is kids. I took that away from her. I couldn't stop the bleeding. No matter what I did, I couldn't stop it. I tried so hard to, but I couldn't. I failed in that aspect. Yes, she's alive, but she lost her dreams." He was devastated, and if I looked past that, I could see anger. He had no reason to be angry at himself. He did what he could.

"There are other ways to have children. She still has her ovaries, right? That means she could use her eggs and have a surrogate carry the child. Or she could adopt. You didn't take away her dreams. It won't be as easy now, but at least she's alive. Isn't that what matters?"

"Yes, but –"

I interrupted him. "No buts. You saved her life. She is alive and that little boy has a mother. That's all that matters. If she's upset, she's upset. In the end, at least she's alive to be upset," I said sternly.

He looked up to me meekly. My voice had been harsher than I wanted, but I wasn't going to apologize. "You're right. If she wishes to never speak to me again, at least she's alive to make that choice."

"She'll speak to you. You kept her and that little boy alive."

"He has the finest blonde hair and blue eyes, just like she does. He's even bigger than I expected. I guess he gets that from Emmett."

"His name is Andrew."

"Man, warrior. It's Greek. Somehow it fits perfectly for their child."

"What does my name mean?"

"Loved… it's French. Again, it's a perfect name for someone like you."

"How do you know that?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's trivial knowledge I've just picked up over the years."

"And what does yours mean?"

"See, I once looked that up." He laughed. "Isle of Carl. Not very poetic like yours. Quite self-explanatory, I guess."

"It's still a nice name. It's strong sounding."

He smirked. "Thank you, but no need to lie to me."

I pushed his arm jokingly. "Oh, hush."

After a good half hour, Edward suddenly came rushing out. Carlisle jolted from his seat – me right behind him.

"She's waking up," Edward told us.

"Already?" Carlisle asked as we rushed back. I probably wasn't allowed to go back, but I did anyway.

We arrived in a small room with three beds. Rose was the only person in the room as a patient. Bella was standing next to her, holding her hand and talking softly as Carlisle and Edward rushed over. I stayed back some, but I could still see and hear.

Carlisle lifted one of Rose's eyelids and flashed a light over it quickly. I watched as she raised her hand to swat it away. She really was awake.

"Rosalie, can you hear me?" he asked. She moaned softly in response and received praises from Edward and Bella.

"It's all right, Rose. Your son is alive. He and Emmett are already in Seattle and he's getting the best care possible. He's very strong," Edward told her.

"You're still in Forks. We'll transfer you in the morning to Seattle, but you just came out of major surgery. We almost lost you," Carlisle said.

"Andy's okay?" she whimpered.

"Andy is doing very well for how early he was. He's bigger than I thought he'd be: 3lbs and 7oz, 16.65 inches long. He has fine blonde hair and the lightest of blue eyes, just like you. He took a breath, but it wasn't enough to sustain his body, so Edward had to intubate him, but I think he'll be breathing on his own much sooner than most babies born ten weeks early. He's a fighter," Carlisle told her with a smile.

"Oh my, I can't wait to see him." She smiled lazily.

"Rose, there's something you need to know," he started, as his face became more serious. It was obvious he was worried for her reaction.

"What… what went wrong?"

"You were hemorrhaging severely. I couldn't control the bleeding, no matter what I tried. We lost your blood pressure at one point and had to start a transfusion, which is still going. To save your life, I had to make a decision. It was mine alone and I take full responsibility for it. I had to perform a hysterectomy."

Her face contorted into pure aguish within seconds. Tears began pouring down her cheeks and the beeping of the monitor speed up. "I can't… have any more children?"

"You'll never be able to get pregnant. You can still have children if you use a surrogate, but you can't carry a child," he said shamefully. "I'm so sorry."

It took her a few minutes to calm down. She was devastated, just as Carlisle and Edward assumed she'd be. Bella tenderly wiped her tears and held her hand tightly as Edward held the other. When I looked to Carlisle, I could tell he was upset, even more than he had been. He stepped away and next to me. I took his hand. He squeezed mine as he ducked his head.

Rose had fallen asleep within twenty minutes. She hadn't spoken again and my heart broke for her. My heart also broke for Carlisle. He was blaming himself – upset he couldn't save Rose without taking away her ability to carry children.

Around one in the morning, I had been in the waiting room alone for an hour. I didn't have a way to get home, and even if I did, I didn't have keys, so I stayed. Edward and Bella were still in Rose's room and Carlisle was busy arranging transport and care for Rose to get to Seattle.

"I can ask Edward for his keys. I'll take you home if you'd like," Carlisle said as I jolted awake. I had been close to falling asleep with my hand supporting my head in the uncomfortable chair. So close in fact I think I may have been seconds away from slumber.

"Are you going home?" I asked.

"No. As long as Rose allows it, I still plan to ride with her in the ambulance to Seattle. I'd like to oversee her care until she's well enough to be released," he said as he sat down next to me for the time being.

He was still in scrubs and when I looked down to his feet, I noticed blood for the first time. The red was just in small splotches, but it contrasted the green so much I was surprised I hadn't noticed it before. I wondered if even he had.

"You have blood," I said as I pointed to his feet.

He followed my hand as he gazed at the splotches. He looked surprised. "Oh… I should change. I hadn't noticed it."

"Was there a lot?"

"Yes," he whispered.

"How are you doing?"

"Me?" he asked, confused. I nodded yes. "I'm fine, Esme."

"It's okay to be upset and show emotion."

His eyes looked up at me as he held his head in his hand, his elbow on his knee. "I'm fine," he repeated.

"No, you're not," I said as I rubbed his back near his shoulder blades.

He shook his head no. "No, I'm not. I feel so horrible, like a failure." I didn't miss the break in his voice, or when he turned his head back down after tears began to fill his eyes.

"You're not a failure."

"Yes, in a way I am. If that had been a trained OB, they may have been able to stop the bleeding and save her uterus. I couldn't, so I failed. I saved her life, but I took away her dreams." His voice was so harsh. He raised a hand, turned his head away from me, and wiped his face. He was beating himself up so much for something that he couldn't control.

"Did you do everything in _your _power?"

"Yes," he said reluctantly. "I did everything _I _could, but that doesn't mean it was the right thing to do."

"Do you think Andy is going to care that he may not get a sibling? He's just going to be happy he has a mommy. Rose will understand once she has the chance. If you hadn't been here, Rose and Andy would be dead. That's what you need to keep in mind. Yes, this is a tragedy, but it could have been so much worse."

"How would you feel? If someone took your dream away, would you ever forgive them?"

"Carlisle!" I said starkly. "If you hadn't done what you did, she would be dead. Nothing else matters."

"I love Rose. She's like family to me. She welcomed me here with open arms. She told her parents and the other older townspeople they could trust me to take care of them. She's one of the reasons I was accepted here. This may sound selfish, but I don't want her to hate me. I did my best. I just wish I could have done better."

"She's not going to hate you. She's upset right now. Her hormones are all over the place and she's recovering from major surgery. Once her head is clear, I have no doubt she'll just be thankful you saved her and her son."

"I hope so," he whispered.

We sat in silence for a few minutes while he collected himself. He kept his head away from me as he dried his eyes. I didn't know what it was about men not wanting to cry in front of woman. I guess it was just a man thing, so I turned my head until he cleared his throat and looked up at me.

"What changed?" he asked.

"Excuse me? What do you mean?" I was utterly confused by his statement.

"This evening you were avoiding me. Something was wrong."

"Oh… I guess it was just that meeting on Friday. I had a lot of things on my mind. I didn't mean to make it seem like I was avoiding you, because I wasn't," I lied.

"I'm just glad you're not now. I really needed someone to talk to, someone to put me in my place."

I took his hand once more, his long fingers curled around mine as he squeezed ever so lightly. "You're welcome."

Honestly, now wasn't the time to avoid Carlisle or let something as silly as a dream interfere with our friendship. I needed him, and tonight he needed me. While some part of me may have had feelings that delved deeper than friendship, I knew in my heart now wasn't the time to worry about it. I had things to do for myself. I had a therapist to meet in the morning.

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><p><strong>Please Review…<strong>


	12. 12th Chapter

**A/N: **Okay. I'm pretty sure you all will be dropping your jaws in this chapter. Just saying, I don't think many of you expected this to happen right now.

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing MelissaMargaret **and **HollettLA who beta'd this for me. They are both absolutely amazing! And I am in awe of their skills.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

Rose was doing very well and little Andy was a fighter. Rose's OB thought he'd release her in a day or so, but Andy would be here for at least another s anix weeks to be safe. They wanted to keep him at the hospital until he would have been full term. It would be the safest thing. His tiny body is still developing.

Rose still wasn't much for talking to me. I didn't blame her, but I wished there was a way to repair our friendship. As Esme told me that night in the hospital, what mattered most was that she was alive. Rose seemed to be doing a little better every time I checked on her. I'd make the drive up to Seattle every other day. She at least allowed me to be her general practitioner on the chart so I had unrestricted access to her and her medical care.

When I went to see her today, she was sitting in the recliner speaking softly with her mother, Beth. Emmett's parents couldn't stay and had to return to Nashville a few days ago with the promise to return once Andy was released, as long as everything went according to plan. Rose's father was back in Forks since he couldn't get away from the timber mill for very long, but her mother stayed here.

"Hi," I said as I knocked on the door.

"Hi, Carlisle," Rose said with a weak smile.

"I'm going to go call your father and relieve Emmett of Andy watch so he can come see you. Is that okay, sweetheart?" Beth asked Rose.

"Of course, Momma. Tell him I love him and take a picture if you can," Rose said as her mother kissed her forehead then silently walked past me.

I lifted the chart in my hand to scan over her blood work and nightly nursing notes. She seemed to be doing very well after losing so much blood at such an alarming rate. The nurse noted her incision looked good, but I did want to see for myself.

"I just want to check your incision, if that's okay," I said, placing the chart on the tray next to her bed.

"Okay, can you help me up?"

"Of course." I moved to her side and took her arm as she stood. She rested her hand against her lower stomach as I helped her maneuver over to the bed.

Just as the notes said, her incision looked very good. There were no signs of infection, and everything was healing as I had hoped. After listening to her heart, I helped her back over to the recliner where she was most comfortable.

"Have you seen Andy?" she asked.

"I stopped by before coming to see you. He looks good. He's even gained some more weight." She smiled longingly. She hadn't actually seen him in person yet, only pictures. "He's beautiful."

"He is. You know, I don't see why you can't go see him." Her eyes lit up. "As long as you stay in a wheelchair and don't stress your body, I think you should."

"Can we go now?"

"Let me go get a wheelchair." I began to turn away before she put her hand on my arm. I turned back, worried something was wrong.

"I don't hate you. Bella said… you think I hate you."

"I'm very sorry for what I had to do. If it hadn't been necessary, I wouldn't have."

"I know. I'm just having a hard time." Tears began forming in her eyes. My heart broke for her.

"That's… normal. And you have every right to be upset with me."

"It's not that I'm upset with you. I'm just upset I can't have another baby. Emmett and I wanted a van full, or more." She laughed sadly as she wiped her tears. "I just can't believe I'll never get pregnant again. It was _so _hard to get pregnant with Andy, but I wanted to do it again. I want more kids."

"You have options. I know they're not ideal, but you can have more children – just not the traditional way."

"I am very thankful to you, Carlisle. You saved not only my life, but Andy's. I've just been so wrapped up in this that I haven't really thought about the fact I could be dead. I'm alive and I'll never be able to thank you enough for that."

I took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "You're welcome. Now how about we go see Andy?"

I left Seattle a little after one in the afternoon. The drive back to Forks was long and boring, but it gave me time to reflect. As a doctor, I had always known how precious a life is, but almost losing someone I care about put it in the forefront of my mind once again.

When I arrived home just after five, Esme's car was in the driveway, but so was another car – an unfamiliar one. Edward's was nowhere to be seen and since I knew the small garage was full of boxes, he hadn't parked in there. He wasn't home, but Esme wasn't alone. I felt my heart rate pick up; something just didn't feel right and as I hastily walked to the door and heard a blood wrenching scream, I knew I was right.

I went through the open door and ran to the kitchen first. She wasn't there, nor was she in the living room. That left the bedrooms. When I tore open her door, another screamed filled the house. I sounded like it came from my room, so again I ran. The door itself was open and as I looked in, I saw a man holding Esme against my far wall. His hand held her jaw tightly as she cried. I didn't think twice as I flung myself into the man I now assumed to be Charles. I knocked him to the floor and we struggled for a few seconds before his fist connected with my face. It stung, but it was hardly enough to keep me from flipping him off of me and onto his back where I had the upper hand. I punched him, and then slammed his head against the wooden floor. He pulled the cord to my bedside lamp and managed to hit me in the head with the metal stem. I was dazed, giving him the chance to get away, but not far enough. I scrambled to my feet and slammed him into the wall in the hallway. His head went into one of Edward's framed paintings, causing the glass to shatter.

"You fucking son of a bitch," he seethed as I pulled my arm back and slammed it into his jaw. I barely registered the sting in my hand before hitting him again.

All I could think about was how he hurt Esme. The things he did to her were so horrifying I just wanted to cause him an ounce of that pain, so I kept hitting. I kept slamming his head into the shattered frame until he slumped and I released my hand from clutching his shirt. His limp body fell to the floor with a thump. I wasn't done. I kicked him in the abdomen as hard as I could twice before warm hands wrapped around my stomach and brought me back to reality.

"It's over; stop, you need to stop now," Esme said softly as I looked to the bloodied body strewn out across the hallway floor.

I turned around and was met by her terrified face. Her soft features were etched with worry and… fear. It was then I realized what I had done and I recalled the voice yelling and screaming as I beat Charles into the mess he now was. She had been begging me to stop.

"Oh God," I whispered as I raised my hand and touched her face. She flinched. "I'm so sorry." Truthfully, the only thing I was really sorry about was her seeing me like that.

"You're bleeding," she said as she grasped my arm. Her eyes went to my hand – which was in fact covered in blood, but most of it wasn't mine. I pulled the bloody hand from her face and wiped it across my shirt. It stung more.

"Call the police."

She nodded. "Let's get out of the house first."

She laid her arm on my back and led me out quickly. As we sat on the step of the porch, she called the police and then Edward. Within minutes, police cruisers and ambulances were parked on our street. Charlie was the first to leave his car and come running to us.

"Carlisle, are you okay?" he asked.

I blinked. It wasn't me who he should have been concerned about. "I'm fine." Then I looked to Esme. Her face seemed unscathed, but her shirt was torn. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Yes, he didn't get the chance to hurt me."

"Charles Evenson is inside, in the hallway. He needs the ambulance," I told Charlie.

"Inside, guys! Alert Olympic Medical Center they have an incoming," he yelled. Of course, he wouldn't send Charles to Forks. There was no way in hell Edward would have allowed it.

Esme and I moved off of the porch and into the driveway. A paramedic came and tried to convince me to get in the ambulance, but I wasn't having it. At least, not until Esme told me I should. As I sat on the stretcher while the medic gave me a cold pack to press against my eyes and cleaned my hand, Edward's car roared into view. He leapt out and straight to us.

"Esme!" he yelled in a panic as he pulled her into his arms. She had been standing just outside of the rig.

"I'm okay," she told him as he pulled back and checked her over with his eyes. His inspection noted her torn shirt and tears filled his eyes.

"Did he…" he trailed off as she shook her head no.

"Carlisle saved me."

He pulled her back into his arms and whispered, "Thank God." Then he looked up to me and his eyes went even wider. "Jesus Christ," he muttered as he let her go and climbed into the back with me.

He pulled my hand with the cold pack down and examined my eye. I could somewhat see it in the refection on the wall – it was swollen and bruising, but I could still see. He pressed the pack back against my face before taking my hand from the medic. He just about pushed her out of the way.

"Is it broken?" he asked me.

I made a fist and released. "No."

"You have cuts."

"Teeth."

"Yeah, there's a shard."

He pulled on a pair of purple nitrile gloves and took the tweezers from the paramedic who was about to remove it. He pulled out the piece and placed it in the evidence bag the paramedic had waiting.

"You'll need stitches," he told me.

"They can wait," I said as I watched more paramedics load Charles into the other ambulance. Edward's eyes went with mine to the ET tube coming from Charles' mouth. There was blood on the blanket they had placed over him and the medic's gloves.

Suddenly, Edward leapt from the back of my rig and towards Charles. Charlie intercepted him before he could do anything, but the fire in his eyes raged on.

"I'll fucking kill him! Let me go!" he yelled.

"Edward, don't say another word. Do you understand me?" Charlie asked. "Go back to your sister and Carlisle right now." His voice was authoritative, demanding in a way I hadn't heard Charlie speak before.

"How bad is he?" I asked as Charlie pushed Edward – who was somewhat fighting – back to the ambulance I was in. He made him sit on the back and kept a hand on his shoulder until the other ambulance's doors were shut. The sirens blared as it sped down the once quiet road.

"He's bad," he confirmed with a look that told me exactly what I wanted to know. Charles may or may not make it. "Clallam County Sheriff's Department is taking over. They're on their way and will want a statement from you and Esme. The medics aren't sure Charles will survive. He wasn't breathing."

"Good," Edward said.

"I ain't gonna repeat this, so listen closely. You did good," Charlie told me.

I just nodded my head. I hadn't done "good" as he said. I had let my anger control me and became someone I didn't want to be. I seriously injured a man – he deserved it – but that doesn't change the fact I may have killed him. There was a part of me that hoped I had killed him, only because he truly did deserve it in my eyes. That part scared me. I had devoted my life to saving lives, not taking them.

I sat silently as Edward stitched the three lacerations on my hand caused by breaking Charles's teeth. I had refused the hospital, it wasn't needed and I certainly didn't want to face my coworkers after this. I could already imagine the gossip that would spread as word got out. My only justification was that I had saved Esme. Charles could never hurt her again, even if he lived. He broke a restraining order, broke into our home, and attacked her. He would hopefully be in jail for some time.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked as Esme spoke with the sheriff. It was just he and I in the rig.

"I couldn't stop."

"I wish you hadn't."

"I may have killed him."

He looked up to me. "I'm sorry you had to do that. I know you don't like to hurt people, even if they deserve it," he sighed. "But, you saved her. 'Thank you' doesn't express my gratitude."

"He had her jaw so tight. She says she's fine, but her shirt _is _torn. He had to have been here for a few minutes. I know he hadn't… done that again, but he probably said something and at least roughed her up some. You should check on her in private."

He nodded his head. "I will."

"Have you talked to Bella?"

"No, I rushed here from the hospital. I'll give her a call and see if Esme can stay with her tonight. She doesn't need to be in this house."

"I broke your painting in the hallway. There's a lot of blood, so I'll get it cleaned up before she goes back in the house."

"I'll hire someone. And don't worry about the painting. Thank you again for keeping her safe."

"I just wish he hadn't come here."

Pictures were taken, evidence collected, and after a while our street was once again clear of emergency vehicles. I gave my statement to a sheriff's deputy just as Esme had done and then everyone was just _gone. _It seemed as if nothing had happened.

That was until I went back into the house. For the first time, I noticed all the damage – damage Charles and I hadn't caused. The front door was busted open, a table near the door where we kept keys was knocked down, even one of the chairs in the living room was on its back. There had been a struggle before I arrived. Esme had fought Charles. She didn't let him hurt her.

As I walked into the hallway that led to the bedrooms, I, found what I had caused. There were smudges of blood on the hardwood floor radiating out from the now spreading pool of red blood. The picture was on the ground with glass scattered and, on the wall where the picture had been, there was a dent in the drywall. That was where I had slammed Charles' head into the wall a few times. When I turned around, I found my door had also been broken open. I finally began wondering why Esme and Charles were in there in the first place. She must have run in and locked the door. He forced it open and trapped her in there. That was when I had walked in.

"Hey," Edward said from behind me. "Bella's here. Esme is refusing to leave unless you come with."

"I need to clean this up."

"No, you don't. I told you, I'd hire someone first thing in the morning. It will be back to normal tomorrow evening."

"How is she?"

"I think it's finally starting to hit her. Bella hugged her and she broke down sobbing. She's shaking like a leaf, but she keeps asking if you're okay. Maybe you can go show her you are?"

I nodded my head and turned away from the mess that had been my room. "Of course."

Esme was sitting in the passenger seat of Bella's old truck. Bella sat next to her with her arm wrapped around her shoulder. Tears were streaming down Esme's cheeks, but when she looked up and saw me, she leapt from Bella's embrace and ran the short distance to me. She flung her arms around my neck as her body crashed into mine. I felt a twinge of pain, but I forgot it the second I had her in my arms.

"It's okay," I murmured.

She cried. "Oh, Carlisle! Thank you, thank you so much."

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, remembering the living room.

"Yes, I'm fine. You saved me."

"Your shirt."

"He pulled me back, but I got away." Her voice was muffled by my shirt – her face still buried in my chest. Her grip was tight; she wasn't about to let go.

"Good. I'm so glad you're okay," I said as I sucked in a breath. My ribs were aching some.

"Oh!" She abruptly let go and pulled away. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, not at all," I told her. "Let's go to Bella's."

"I need clothes."

"I'll get them, sissy. I'll grab you some things too, Carlisle," Edward said.

"Thanks," I said.

It was past eight in the evening by the time we were all settled at Bella's house. After I showered, I found bruising over my ribs, my eye was black, and my hand was a mess. I wouldn't be able to operate for at least a week; maybe longer because, even though I was sure it wasn't broken, it did ache. The stitches would actually need to come out before I could scrub in anyway. It seemed as though Dr. Gerandy – the only other staff general surgeon – would be working a little more for a while.

When I arrived in Bella's kitchen, Edward and Esme were sitting at the table eating as Bella sat beside Edward with her hand on his back. They all looked up and smiled as I walked in. Edward told me a cold pack was in the freezer for my eye, so I got it out then filled a bag with ice for my bruised ribs. When I sat down, one hand pressing the pack to my face and the other pressing the ice to my ribs, Esme looked concerned.

"Ribs?" Edward asked.

"Sore, not broken," I told him.

"Sure about that?"

"Positive."

"I have more cold packs under the meat in the freezer in the basement," Bella said. "I have some compression bandages as well."

"I might go find the cold packs, but I'll be fine. Thank you though," I told her as she smiled consolingly.

"Do you want something to eat? A sandwich?" she asked.

"I can make it," I said as I attempted to stand.

She stopped me and rose herself. "You rest. What kind do you want?"

"Whatever you have."

"I have a lot. Turkey? Ham? Salami?"

"Ham is fine."

"Do you want me to make it a hot ham and cheese?"

"Cold is fine. Don't trouble yourself."

She smiled. "It's no trouble."

As I ate the hot ham and cheese she insisted on making, I looked to Esme. She was staring into space. I was concerned for her mental state. She must have been terrified. Charles attacked her again – this time in her home, a safe place where she had gone to escape him. I desperately hoped this wouldn't set back her recovery. She had met with Carmen once and seemed to be okay. I knew they hadn't actually gotten into her actual problems yet, seeing as how it was her first visit, but the fact was she was planning on going again in a few days.

"Has anyone checked on Rose and Andy?" I asked.

"Yeah, I called Emmett and told him what happened. He's glad everyone's okay and Rose understands that you won't be up to see her right now," Edward said.

"Dr. Morrison is supposed to be releasing her in a few days. Do they know what they're going to do?"

"Rose isn't leaving Andy. Emmett's going to have to come back soon for work, but she's staying. He already has a hotel set up for her. I think I'm going to ask the hospital to try and set up a fund for them. Ask for donations so they don't have to worry about money."

"Good. I'll help."

"Rose wants you to call her tomorrow. She also told me to say thank you again for taking her to see Andy."

"Oh, she saw Andy? How is he?" Esme asked, snapping back into reality.

"He's doing very well. They can't take him off the vent yet, but he's getting there. He's taking spontaneous breaths with the vent. That's really good," I said.

"How long until he's off the vent?" she asked.

"I don't know. They'll wait until he's a little bigger, but if he starts fighting it, they'll take him off. They'll try weaning him as soon as they feel it's safe."

"That's wonderful. So he's going to make it?"

"As long as everything continues as it has, I don't see why not."

After everyone had eaten, wme all went our separate ways. Edward and Bella went to her room, Esme to one spare bedroom and me to the other. I was tired, but I didn't feel like sleeping. If I were at home I'd get on the treadmill. It's what I did when my mind couldn't shut off. Here I was at a loss for what to do. Thankfully, a, quiet knock on my door brought me back to reality and gave my mind something else to focus on.

"Come in," I said.

The door opened to reveal Esme. Even with the tears in her eyes and large sweats covering her body, she was beautiful. It was a blessing to see her. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, please come in," I said, moving and patting the bed for her to join me.

"How are you? Are you in pain?"

"I'm fine. I can barely feel it," I lied. My face had its own pulse and it pounded in my head, but I didn't want to upset her.

She sat down next to me, pulled her legs up, and crossed them. Her hands twirled together on her lap. She was nervous. "I can't sleep."

"Me either. Are you okay?"

She nodded and looked to me timidly. "I've just been worried about you."

"Like I said, I'm fine."

"Why didn't you stop when I kept calling your name?"

"I… don't know. I just couldn't. I wanted to hurt him."

"That doesn't seem like you. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful you stopped him, but you scared me."

"I'm so sorry."

She took my hand. "I didn't know you could do that," she said. "I'd have never guessed."

"Yeah, it's not me. I haven't hurt anyone in a very long time. I never wanted to do it again," I said as she dropped her head. "But, for you, I'd do it again."

"Thank you. What do you mean 'in a long time' that you never wanted to do it again? You've… done that before?"

"Edward's never told you about my past?"

She shook her head. "No. I know you went to school very young but, other than that, I, don't know anything about your past," she said. "You're one of my best friends, and yet I don't know much about you."

"Would you like to know? It's not the happiest story."

"Only if you want to tell me."

"Okay, well first things first. I did go to college when I was fourteen. I was very lucky in that aspect. I was given a chance most kids don't get, especially kids with my background," I started. "I was seven when my mother died and even as a seven year old I knew what it meant when my grandmother kneeled down in front of me and told me what had happened. I knew I'd never see my mom again. The loss was devastating to me, but even more devastating was who I was left with.

"My father was a drug dealer. I honestly blame him for my mother's death, even though it was probably as much her fault for doing drugs in the first place. She was a drug addict – her addiction fueled my father's way of making a living. In the end, her addiction killed her. To me, she died at the hands of my father because it was his drugs that she took. I was too young at the time to know exactly what they were doing, but I knew it wasn't normal. I knew most children's parents didn't sit in the living room of the Section 8 housing with a pipe in their mouth or a needle in their arm." She tightened her grip on my hand, looking apologetic.

"After my mom died, I saw my grandmother less and less, until it had been over a year since I was last with her. My father only got worse. He got deeper and deeper into drugs. He was angry every day because my mother was dead. He took it out on me, or God forbid whatever woman was at our house that night.

"By the time I was ten, I had decided I wanted to be a doctor. I wanted to save people and forget the life I lived. I went to school every day and made straight A's because I knew I had to be smart to be a doctor. I was smart, smarter than any of the kids in my grade or even the ones grades above me. I was moved up and people took an interest in me."

"Of course, they did," she said with a smile.

"When I was eleven, everything came to a head. My father was angrier than he had ever been and, as per usual, took it out on me. That's when I learned to fight back, not only physically, but also mentally. He called me a liar to the police and a snitch to my face when I went to my guidance counselor and told her what he did. I was taken out of his custody after police went to arrest him and found his stash of drugs. I was sent to live with my grandmother."

"That's how you know how to fight."

"Not really, but I'll get to that."

"I'm sorry for interrupting."

"For sixteen months, my life was wonderful. I was taken care of by someone who loved me, who had always loved me and wanted me. It was my father who had kept her from me. But just after my twelfth birthday, she got sick. She had lung cancer and died within months. I would come home from school and take care of her and then, once she was comfortable, I'd study, because my passion for wanting to be a doctor only grew by watching her die. Once she passed, I was placed in foster care. There were good homes; I won't lie and say they were all bad, but there were a few where it seemed I had actually been safer with my father.

"I had to protect myself the same way I did against my father's abuse. I fought back physically and I hated it. I only did it to protect myself."

"I am so sorry."

"When I was thirteen, things got better once more. I was a prodigy as the teachers said. Smarter than any other kid in the school, county, some even said state. I was offered the opportunity to graduate just before I turned fourteen. I had a full ride scholarship to Harvard and I took it. I started my first year as an undergraduate at fourteen. One of the youngest kids in the country to attend college, and an Ivy League one at that.

"I was once again placed in a new foster home. This one was devoted to my education and is probably the only reason I was able to become a doctor. When I turned sixteen, I was emancipated and – using my grandmother's life insurance – was able to take care of myself. College was paid for by scholarships until medical school. That's when I had to get a job and take loans accumulating so much debt I honestly believed I'd never pay them off, but with Edward's help I did.

"I didn't know that. He never told me he helped you like that."

"He'll always be like an older brother to me and to this day I still owe him more than anyone could imagine – not money wise, I paid him back after becoming an attending – but it was because of him I was able to actually achieve my dream."

"I think you did more for him than you know. He talked about you a lot when we spoke on the phone. I never pieced it together until now, but he said after knowing you, he stopped feeling bad for himself because of our parents. He said our lives could have been much worse."

"So now you know why I could do that to Charles. I'm disgusted with myself for doing that again, but on the other hand I wouldn't take it back. He deserved it."

"But you didn't deserve to get hurt because of me," she said as she began crying once more.

She was just so beautiful. Those tears didn't belong on her cheeks. What happened today shouldn't have happened. I just wished I had gotten home sooner. I just wished he hadn't had the chance to get that close to her again.

"Please don't cry. Look at me; I'm fine," I told her.

"He hurt you. Look at your eye. That's not fine."

"Hey now, this," I pointed to my blackened eye, "It'll go away. He didn't get the chance to hurt you and that's all that matters," I said as I raised my hand and wiped her freshly fallen tears.

She looked up to me. Her eyes clouded with the tears still forming. In that instant I just wanted to take her pain away. I kept my hand on her cheek as she pressed hers over mine.

"I don't know how I got so lucky to have someone like you here with me," she whispered.

"I feel lucky just knowing you."

"Carlisle," she said.

"Yes?"

"Kiss me."

I didn't know how we went from me telling her about my life story to her asking me this. Truthfully, tmhere was a battle raging in my mind as whether to give in to her request. I wanted to, don't ever think I didn't, but I was also worried. Her judgment was clouded. She saw me as her savior and those feelings could be misconstrued as something more.

"Please?" she asked.

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><p><strong>AN: ***Peeks head out* Anyone still there? How do you like that cliffy? Is Carlisle going to do it? If you review I'll give you a teaser from chapter 13. It's not quite done, but almost.

One more thing. You know what would really make me happy? Getting more reviews than ever before. I know I'm turning into a review whore, but I just love hearing from you all.

**Please Review!**


	13. 13th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing MelissaMargaret **and **HollettLA who beta'd this for me. They are both absolutely amazing! And I am in awe of their skills.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

I couldn't resist after that. I pulled her closer to me and pressed our lips together. It was better than I had imagined. I was finally kissing the woman who I had secretly loved for months. Her lips were softer than I had imagined. Her taste sweeter. She was more perfect than I had dreamed.

She opened her mouth just enough to allow me entrance. I pulled her closer – letting out tongues entwine until she pulled back for air. She panted softly as I pressed our foreheads together. I caressed her cheek with my thumb as I smiled. My other hand went to the bottom of her shirt and slid under. Her skin was warm as I traced my hand up and around her back and pulled her closer.

"Carlisle," she whispered.

"Yes?"

"I can't go any further. Please tell me you understand?"

I dropped my hand – I hadn't realized exactly what it was doing. I just wanted to feel her closer – have her warm skin in contact with mine. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I do want you to hold me. I just… need you to understand I can't… do that."

"Of course. I'd never ask you to. Come here," I asked, pulling her onto my lap.

She smiled as she wrapped her arm around my neck and pulled my face closer to hers with her other hand. She pressed her lips to mine this time – taking control. She could have control. I would rather her guide me and set the boundaries, so I didn't overstep. Just being able to hold her was a dream come true – kissing her made it even more magnificent.

I didn't know where we'd go from here. I didn't know if she'd even want what I wanted. All I did know was that I was happy. I held the love of my life in my arms – I had her lips against mine in that instant, and that was all that mattered.

"Tell me to stop," she whispered as our lips parted once more.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you don't want me. Trust me, you don't. But all I want is you. The man who cares about me when he shouldn't. The man who has looked past all I've been through."

"I do want you, though."

"Why?"

"Because you're special. Because you're the woman of my dreams. Do you know how long I've wanted to do this? To just hold you?"

Esme smiled. "Not nearly as long as I've wanted to."

"I've wanted this since we first met when you were seventeen. I know that sounds wrong, but it's true. After you left that weekend, I kept wondering if you were just a little older, and not my best friend's baby sister, what would have happened."

"That long?"

I nodded my head. "Yes."

"I thought you were cute, you know." Her cheeks blushed ever so lightly and I ran my thumb over her left one.

"You're beautiful when you do that."

"Carlisle, can this work?"

"We can make it work."

"But what about Edward? What about everything I've been through? People would think it's too soon, but I can't help how I feel."

"Edward… will understand." I prayed I was right about that, because truthfully, I wasn't so sure. "And only you know how soon is too soon."

"If it were anyone else, it would be too soon."

"We'll go slowly. I'll be everything you need, and I will never push you into anything. I'll stop when you say stop, and be conscious of anything I'm doing. I won't hurt you."

"I know you won't."

I pressed my lips against hers once more. Her hands went to my hair, running her fingers along my scalp as she giggled during our kiss. When I pulled back and looked to her, confused, she just laughed a little more. Her laugh sounded amazing, like music to my ears.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to do this?" she asked, running her hands back and forth through my hair once more.

I laughed with her. "May I ask what the hell you are talking about?"

"I've always wanted to touch your hair. It's even softer than I had imagined. I kinda love your hair."

"That's all you love about me? My hair?" I pouted, but still couldn't stop my smile from creeping up.

She smiled and giggled more. "Yes, that is all. It's not your compassion, or the fact that you're the most amazing man in the world. It's all about your hair."

"Well, now I feel used."

She kissed my cheek and then my lips. "Aww, don't. I'm not using you for your hair. It's just an added bonus that I can now touch it like I've wanted to."

"Well then, that changes things. You may touch my hair all you'd like, as long as I can hold you as much as I want."

"Sounds like a fair deal."

I laughed. "Shake on it?" She put her hand out and we shook, then I took it to my lips and kissed her knuckles.

"How did you learn to be such a gentleman?"

"A woman as perfect as you deserves to be treated with the utmost respect. I swear, from this day on you will never have to open another door as long as I'm around."

She laughed. "Movies?"

"Guilty."

She smiled then gently touched my swollen eye. "Well, I've learned a thing or two from movies as well. Since you got this because of me, it's only fair I ice it for you."

"Whatever you'd like."

"I'll be right back."

She was back in minutes, then back on my lap seconds after. She giggled when I pulled her down and took her lips. I knew we had decisions to make, like when we wanted to tell people, but tonight that didn't matter. I swore to myself the second I could in the morning, I'd get her flowers because, as I've said before, she deserves them. But tonight, all I wanted to do was steal kisses as she pressed the cold pack to my eye. And I did just that until the sun came up.

We spent hours talking – just being together. I asked her how she truly felt about this – getting into a relationship – and she told me she had concerns. She wasn't concerned about me, but she was worried if this was the right time. I respected that and promised to go as slow as she wanted. If she wanted to remain friends, we could. Everything would be up to her. The only concrete decision we made was not to tell anyone, because that she wasn't ready for that. She said she was worried how Edward would react; truthfully, I was too. Would he think I was taking advantage of her? Or would he realize I love her aend I could never hurt her? Either way, I worried for our friendship.

"The hospital knows you'll be out for the next week," Edward said when I came downstairs the next morning to Bella's kitchen.

I had only had about two hours of sleep and, to be honest, I was sore. I had taken a few pain relievers just before coming down and I was already praying for them to start working.

"The next week?" I asked.

"Well, it's not like you can operate, and I figured you'd want some time for your eye to go down. It's up to you. If you want, you can go back whenever."

"I think I'll actually take that week. As long as I'm not needed, that is."

"I've got you covered."

"Thanks."

He leaned back in his chair and pulled his phone out, then slid it across the table to me. "Charlie sent a text. He survived."

I read the text, which simply said Charles was out of surgery and the doctors said he'd make it. "What were his injuries?"

"Subdural hematoma was the worst. They drilled a burr hole. Son of a bitch is gonna live."

"He's not exactly going to have an easy recovery. He could have lasting brain damage."

"Good. I hope he does," he said. "Do you honestly think differently? After what he did?"

"No, but that doesn't mean it's right. I still did that to him, and a part of me feels guilty – because I did it."

"You kept him from hurting Esme again. Doesn't that make up for it?"

"That's the only reason I can even live with myself."

"So," he started, as I poured a cup of coffee, "why was Esme in your room last night?" I froze. Shit.

"She couldn't sleep."

"Did she talk to you?"

I nodded as I sat down and took a sip. "Yeah, we talked for a while."

"Good. I'm really glad she can talk to you. She needs a good friend like you right now. I wish she'd talk to me, though."

"She will. I'm sure of it. Just give her time."

"Did she say what Charles said to her?"

"No. She mostly just wanted some company," I paused. "I told her about my childhood."

He raised his eyebrows. "Did she ask you how you could do that to Charles?"

I nodded. "Apparently, I don't look like someone who could do that. She was just curious."

"It took getting you drunk as hell to get you to tell me that. Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"So, you two just talked? All night?"

His eyebrow cocked as he looked at me skeptically. I suddenly felt as though I was being interrogated. I didn't lie much and I highly doubted I was very good at it, so instead of using words that probably would have made me sound as if I were lying – because I would have been – I just nodded my head and sipped the coffee. Truthfully, more or less chugged so my mouth was busy.

"Are you going to stay around here today?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's the plan. Any idea on when we can go back to the house?"

"Cleaning people will be there this afternoon. They said they should be done by tonight."

"Good."

"Yeah," he sighed.

"Are you all right?"

He nodded. "Yes, just worried about Es. I wonder if she'll be okay with going home. I mean, what if she doesn't want to be there?"

"I think she'll be okay. She knows Charles can't hurt her again, so I think she'll really be able to start to heal now."

"Good, good," he murmured.

"Is something else on your mind?"

He looked up with a crooked smirk as he huffed. "I can't get anything past you, can I?"

I laughed softly. "I like to think I know you."

"I was going to ask Bella to marry me tonight. I had the ring, the dinner planned, my speech to which she couldn't say no written, but now… I can't. It wouldn't be right."

"I don't know about that. Maybe it's the perfect time. We've had a lot of bad happen in the past few weeks. Maybe it's time for some good."

"I don't know. I just don't think its good timing. I should really spend tonight with Es."

I shrugged. "It's up to you."

"Yeah, well, right now I need to get to the hospital. I'm going to say goodbye to Esme, and then go. Could you keep her company today?"

"Sure."

After both Edward and Bella left, I snuck out for ten minutes and went to the closest place that sold flowers, so I could fulfill my first promise I made to myself for Esme. I decided to go simple, a dozen red roses.

When I walked in, Esme was sitting on Bella's couch watching the news. I wondered if she thought what happened yesterday would make the news – it wouldn't, the town was so small and Port Angeles wouldn't pick it up as a story.

"What are doing?" I asked softly.

"Just making sure," she sighed.

"Esme, you don't have to worry about this anymore," I said as I shut the TV off and pulled the bouquet from behind my back.

She smiled. "Oh, Carlisle."

"These are the first of many," I said as I leaned down and kissed her.

She took the flowers from me. "How am I going to explain these to Edward?"

"Say you bought them for your room."

She smiled even more as she smelled them. "Thank you."

I sat down next to her on the couch. "You're welcome, but like I said, these are the first of many."

"You treat me too good."

"I'll do my best every day – as long as you allow me – to show you how you deserve to be treated."

She flushed lightly and ducked her head as she smiled. "I can't believe you are real. You're too perfect."

I laughed. "Oh, just wait. I think you'll find I'm not as perfect as I seem."

She put her hand on my cheek and pulled me to her. I took her lips and relished the moment. "Mmm, I love kissing you," she said.

"I could kiss your lips all day."

She ran her hand through my hair again as I caressed her cheek with my thumb. "I'm falling for you."

"I've loved you for months."

I pulled her on my lap and we stayed like that for a good half hour before she wanted to get a shower so we could leave. I was ready to go, so I just had to wait for her. She didn't take very long, but when she came down, she looked amazing. She wore simple jeans, a t-shirt, and flip flops, with her hair back in a hairband. She wasn't wearing any makeup, and I couldn't help but be thankful for that. She was such a natural beauty; she didn't need makeup.

"Everything is at Rose and Em's. We're just going to paint today. That way, once Emmett comes back in a few days, we can put the furniture together – he wanted to help do that," she told me.

I nodded. "Sounds good."

Rose and Emmett lived about a mile from Bella. Their house was a decent size. You could tell when they bought it, they were thinking of kids. Fenced-in backyard, big tree in the back for a swing, and room for plenty of toys – everything a child would want.

"So what color did Rose pick?" I asked as we walked upstairs into the largest of the regular bedrooms.

"A light brown. She wanted more natural colors."

"Ah," I said as I looked at the frame picture leaning against a box. "Elephants?"

"Rose picked it," she said with a smile.

"Huh, so there's absolutely no blue?"

"There's a little in the blankets, but it's mostly natural, earthy colors."

"Do you have something drawn out?"

"Yep," she said, going over to a box. She pulled a large piece of paper off of it and handed it to me.

The drawing was amazing. I was in awe. "Did you draw this?"

"Yes, I have a book of swatches Rose and I picked out." Next she handed me a small book with fabrics and paint colors in it.

"Wow, Esme, this is amazing," I said. "Why would you ever stop doing this for a living? You're very talented."

She shrugged. "It still interests me, but so does teaching. It actually took a year once I started college to pick my major. I just liked interior design. And, Carlisle, I'm not that great. I'm just okay."

"Just okay?" I asked, incredulously. "Esme, you have such an eye for detail. Oh, this is fantastic! You can help me with the house I'm building," I said. "I mean, if you want to, that is."

"You want my help?" she asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, please, Esme, help me." I then thought about it for a moment. "I'll pay you."

"No! Carlisle, honestly, I'd never want you to pay me."

"So, you'll do it then?"

She looked down. "I mean, I guess if you really want me to; but if you don't like one of my ideas, you have to promise to tell me."

"I'm sure I'll love anything you come up with. Besides, I'd want you to like it as well. I'm hoping maybe you'd want to spend a lot of time there."

"Um… I… uh…" she stuttered.

Shit. It was way too soon to say something like that. "I'm sorry. I'm getting too far ahead, aren't I?"

"No, I guess not. I just hadn't expected you to say something like that. I mean, we haven't even been out yet. We only kissed for the first time last night."

"We can change that. The date thing I mean. Let's go out."

"What about Edward? What about people seeing us?"

"We'll go to Port Angeles. As for Edward, we just tell him we're going to a movie… hanging out as friends. Friends do those things."

"I guess," she said as she poured the paint into a tray after mixing it. "I'm guessing you know how to paint right?"

"I have lived alone before," I said with a laugh. "Apartments need a fresh paint job every now and then."

She handed me a roller and smiled. "Good. Let's get to work."

The room was already taped off near the molding. I guess she had done that a few days ago. She started on one wall, me on another. We talked about Rose and Emmett a lot, about the baby too. She was excited to get to meet Andy, because she hadn't seen him yet, except for pictures.

"Since I have the week off, I'm going to go up there in a few days. Once the swelling around my eye goes down, that is. No need to frighten the child." I laughed. "But, you can come with."

"It doesn't look _that_ bad. It kinda makes you look…" She didn't finish her sentence.

"Makes me look what?"

She blushed. "Hot," she whispered.

I grinned. "You think I look hot?"

"Well, you always look hot. You're a very good looking man, though, I'm guessing I'm not the first to tell you that."

"The first that matters. I think you're beautiful."

She smiled and blushed even more. "Thank you."

I walked over to her and pulled her against me. "You are. You're the most beautiful woman in the world."

I took her lips and she sighed peacefully into mine. I pulled my hand from her back and placed it on her neck – pulling her face closer to mine. I'd never tire of doing this. I wanted to stay like this forever, but unfortunately, she pulled back.

She smiled. "I love doing that."

I was a grinning fool at that moment. "Me, too."

She laughed. "I think you're trying to distract me."

"Maybe just a little."

She pulled farther away from me and raised her paint roller. She pressed it against my chest with an evil smirk as she rolled the paint on. I was a little shocked, but I laughed. I took mine and painted her chest as she gasped and jumped away.

"Carlisle!"

"What?" I laughed. "You did it to me."

"I… I… cannot believe you did that!"

I smirked and moved closer. She was trapped between me and the wall. "I think I missed a spot." I painted her stomach and she squealed while flinging her roller around trying to get me. She got me in the face. Right in my bad eye.

"Oh, my God!" she exclaimed. "I am _so_ sorry!"

It hurt a little, but I was okay. "It's fine. I swear, I'm fine." I wiped the paint away and pressed my hand to my eye.

"No, you're not. Oh, Carlisle, I am so, so, so sorry. Here, I'll go get ice."

She ran from the room after dropping her roller onto the tarp, before I could say anything. It really wasn't that bad. She didn't even hit me that hard.

When she came back she handed me the baggie of ice. I looked at her; her eyes were filled with tears.

"Please, don't cry," I said.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It's really not that bad. You didn't hit me very hard at all."

"I still hit you." Her lips quivered. "I hurt you."

I took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "It's fine. But I could use a kiss." I grinned mischievously. "It'll make me feel better."

She smiled shyly. "I think I can do that."

She pressed her hand against my other cheek and pulled me down to her level. It started off simple, just a light kiss, but it quickly went further. I dropped the ice and wrapped my arm around her waist, lifting her up. My other hand went to her face as our tongues entwined. I took a step forward – she took a step back. We repeated that until she was against the freshly painted wall. I hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist as I held her against the wall.

We parted for a moment and she whispered, "I think I love you." I took her lips again. I didn't want this to stop.

With my lips just barely touching hers, I whispered, "I know I love you."

"Carlisle," she moaned as I moved my lips to her jaw – kissing my way down to the nape of her neck. Her hands fisted in my hair as my mouth attached to her neck just over her pulse. It beat quickly beneath my lips. "Carlisle," she said again. "Stop."

I pulled away quickly. "I'm sorry," I said. "Was that too much?"

She shook her head no. "I just don't want a hickey." She smirked.

I laughed. "I was being careful."

"Well, in that case, please continue." Her smile lit up the room as I lowered my lips back to hers. I avoided her neck, because in all honesty, I wasn't being _that _careful, and if we had continued I'm sure I would have left a mark.

After a few more minutes of what truly was a teenage make-out session – yes, that's basically what it was – we started painting again. We were both covered in paint. Her backside had taken most the paint from the wall, and both of our fronts were covered, not to mention my face. There would be no way to explain this to Edward, so after we were done for the evening, we drove to the house.

I parked and looked to Esme. Her eyes were glazed over, and then she shut them tightly.

"You don't have to come in. I can get clothes," I told her.

"No," she sighed. "I need to go in there. I just… don't know if I can."

I took her hand. "Talk to me."

"He knocked first, you know," she said. "I didn't think anything of it. I thought it was Bella, so I opened the door. He just stood there _smirking_. I couldn't breathe, and then he spoke. 'Aren't you going to invite me in, sweetheart?' Oh God, Carlisle." She shivered and I rubbed my thumb over her hand.

"It's okay. I'm here."

"I slammed the door, and got the bottom lock done. He just kicked it open! I mean, I didn't think you could actually do that in one kick." Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "I ran, but he pulled me back and knocked me into the table by the door. I got away again, into the living room, and threw the chair down to get something in his way."

"How did you wind up in my room?"

"Honestly?" I nodded. "I don't know why I went in there. It seemed like a safe place, but then he kicked that door open too. I was so scared. I don't know why, but I couldn't move and he trapped me there."

"What did he say to you?"

"He said I would pay for leaving him. He wasn't going to just let me go. He said he was going to kill me, and then he'd wait for Edward." Her body shook with her sobs. "He was going to kill him!"

"Hey, hey," I soothed. "He didn't. He didn't hurt either of you."

"He would have. If you hadn't gotten there, he would have killed me."

"But I was there. I stopped him, and he'll never hurt you again now."

She nodded. "I know that."

"I'll go get your clothes. You don't have to go in there yet."

"No, I need to shower. Let's just… make it quick. I don't want to see what he did."

"It's cleaned up. Edward texted me earlier that the cleaning crew finished. He just thought tonight we'd stay at Bella's, then when you were ready we'd come home."

"Good. Let's go."

She opened her door and got out before I did. I immediately went to her side and took her hand as we walked to the front door. Edward must have gotten someone to replace it, because it was new. He worked fast to get things back to normal for her.

Esme and I both showered, then changed before disposing of our ruined clothes and headed back to Bella's. I was surprised Esme didn't have more trouble once she was in the house. She did what she needed to do, and was ready to leave before I was. She didn't cry or stare at anything for too long. Truthfully, I didn't know how she kept it together in there, but I was proud.

"When are you going back to see Carmen?" Edward asked Esme as we ate dinner that night.

He and Bella were none the wiser to what we had done. Esme and I acted like normal. I kept my eyes from wandering t o hers unnecessarily, and tried to keep a normal face – unlike the lovesick o ne I knew I'd have if I let myself.

"Tuesday morning," Esme told him. It was Saturday, so that was only a few days away. Though, I wished she could see Carmen on Monday. I knew she had things she needed to discuss.

"Good. Do you like her?" Edward asked.

She nodded. "She's very nice. She didn't push me at all."

"Carmen is great," Bella said. "She's great to talk to about other things in your life too." Bella looked at me, then quickly back at Esme with a smile.

Oh, God. She knew, but how? I prayed she wouldn't tell Edward. Jesus fucking Christ! How the hell did she know? This was bad, very, very bad. From the look in Esme's eyes I could tell she realized the same thing I did. She panicked a little. It wasn't too obvious, but I could tell.

"That's good. I guess I'd kinda like to discuss what she thinks about me changing careers so abruptly too," Esme said. She covered that perfectly.

Bella nodded. "I'm sure she can offer any advice you need."

"Are you thinking about not becoming a teacher?" Edward asked.

"No," she said with a smile. "I know I want that, but I want her opinion on if she thinks I'm moving too fast." Her eyes glanced to me.

I realized Esme was concerned about where our relationship was headed. She had concerns – it wasn't like I didn't know that, but I had a feeling Carmen would tell her this wasn't a good idea. I worried Esme might take that advice. I just got her. I didn't want to lose her, and I might if her therapist advises her against it.

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><p><strong>AN: **I was astounded by the reviews for the last chapter. Honestly, completely blown away. You guys are so amazing! Once again, if you review I'll give you a teaser. Oh and I'll love you forever… just saying LOL.

**Please Review…**


	14. 14th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing MelissaMargaret **and **HollettLA who beta'd this for me. They are both absolutely amazing! And I am in awe of their skills.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

"How are you doing, Esme?" Carmen asked as I took my seat on the sofa in her office.

I hadn't returned to work yet since Charles attacked me. The school understood and had given me a few days off. They told me to come back when I was ready. I planned to go back tomorrow. It was Tuesday, so I had already missed two days. I didn't want to miss any more with a new job.

"I honestly don't know how to answer that question," I told her.

"All right, well, let's start with me apologizing. I'm glad you called me Saturday, and I'm sorry I couldn't see you sooner. My flight just landed this morning. Normally, I wouldn't have had any issues with meeting you on Saturday, but I had a family issue out of state which required me to leave suddenly."

"It's all right. I understand."

She smiled. "Thank you for understanding. Now, you didn't tell me much about what happened on Friday. Just that Charles attacked you, you're fine, and he can't hurt you again. So, let's start with that. What happened?"

I adjusted myself to get a little more comfortable, because I knew this was going to take a while. Carmen said we could meet for as long as I needed today since she had no other appointments.

"Charles came to my house, well, to my brother's house. I had just gotten home about an hour before and was starting to make dinner. He knocked, and I didn't think anything of it. I thought it was Bella, Edward's girlfriend."

"Yes, I know Bella," she said.

"Anyway, I just assumed it was her, so I didn't even think of looking through the peep hole. I opened the door, and there he was –_smirking_. I literally froze." I felt the tears burning behind me eyes.

"Did he say anything?"

I nodded. "'Aren't you going to invite me in, sweetheart?'" I repeated his words with disgust as I wiped my tears. "I was so terrified in that moment, but I did manage to slam the door and get the bottom lock done. I wasn't able to get the top lock done because he just _kicked _the door open." I was really starting to cry now. I hated reliving this, but I knew I had to tell her everything.

Carmen passed me the tissues box. "Take your time, Esme."

"I ran, but he grabbed me and knocked me into the table by the door. I got away again, and pulled a chair down to get in his way. I didn't even look back to see if it stopped him, but it must have slowed him down some because I was able to get into a bedroom and lock that door. Again, though, he just kicked it open. I was trapped once he was in there with me. I honestly believed I was going to die. He even told me I was."

"Can you tell me what he said? Take your time."

"He said he was going kill me, and then Edward!" I sobbed.

"But he didn't. You are alive and uninjured just like your brother."

"But Carlisle's not. He was hurt because of me."

"Carlisle lives with Edward right? He's your friend?"

I nodded. "Yes, he's… he's my friend. A very good friend. He works with Edward at the hospital."

"Is Carlisle going to be all right?"

"His eye is swollen, and his ribs are bruised. He also has a few stitches in his hand, so he can't operate, but yes, he's going to be all right. Compared to Charles, he's fine."

"And what happened to Charles?"

"Carlisle came home and found us. Charles had me against a wall, holding my jaw, and he just… I guess… t..ackled him, or something. Carlisle saved me."

"I'm glad Carlisle came home, and now Charles is in jail."

"He's actually still in the hospital."

She nodded. "But he will go to jail, Esme."

"Are you sure? I mean… Charles, he could somehow get away with it still."

"He not only broke a restraining order, but attacked you in your home. Esme, I don't think he can get away with that. There's evidence, and the fact that he was found there. The police will have a solid case against him."

"But things can go wrong. Evidence could get thrown out, or Charles could have a really good lawyer. What if he only goes to jail for a short time and gets out, and then comes back?" My breathing was getting faster and faster as the tears streamed down my cheeks. I was so scared of the "what if's".

Carmen stood up and sat down next to me. She placed her hand on my back and rubbed soft, soothing circles. "It's all right, Esme. You need to calm down some. Just breathe slowly."

"I'm so… scared," I said with a gasp.

"I know, but he can't hurt you anymore."

Carmen let me cry, and helped me calm down. She gave me tissues, and reassurances, but I was still worried. When I finally calmed down, I told her I couldn't continue today. I didn't want to talk about Charles, or what happened any more – at least not right now.

"That's fine," she said. "How about I see you again this week though? Is that all right?"

"Yes." I nodded. "But I need to go back to work, so it'll have to be after four."

"That's fine. How about we meet Friday? You decide what time, we'll work it out."

"I can be here by four-thirty, if that's okay?"

"Sounds good. I want you to take care, and call me if you need to talk."

I left Carmen's office and just sat in my car for a few minutes. I didn't want to go back to Bella's yet. I was still staying there because I wasn't sure I could go back to Edward's house. Just being there with Carlisle on Saturday was excruciatingly hard. I showered and changed faster than ever before, just to get out of there – away from the memories.

Thankfully, Bella didn't mind me staying with her after Carlisle and Edward left on Sunday. She said I was welcome for as long as I wanted. But, the thing was, I did want to go home. I wanted to be back under the same roof as Carlisle. I barely slept at all these past two nights without being in the same house as him. I just didn't feel as safe without him nearby. I wanted to go home, where Carlisle was.

As I sat in my car, still not moving from my parking spot, my phone vibrated with a text message. It was Carlisle, and I smiled at his words. He said he hoped my session was going well, and that he was there if I needed to talk afterwards. He ended it by saying he couldn't wait to see my beautiful face. I decided to call him.

"Hello, beautiful," he answered, and a smile crept up on my face. "How are you?"

"Hi, Carlisle. I'm getting ready to leave Carmen's office. I'm… okay," I said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, it was just hard. I didn't get very far before it was too difficult."

"Well, at least you were able to talk some. Where are you going? Back to Bella's?" he asked.

"Actually," I said, thinking about it. I wanted to see him, spend time with him without worrying about someone seeing us. "I was wondering if you'd want to meet me in Port Angeles? Maybe we can have lunch?"

"I'm leaving right now. That sounds wonderful, but it's going to take me about an hour to get there."

"That's fine. I can wait. Where do you want to meet?"

"Well, where do you want to eat? We can meet there if you'd like."

"Okay, there's this restaurant on East Front Street. It's called Chestnut Cottage. Bella and I went there once for lunch; it was really good. How does that sound?"

"Sounds perfect. I'll be there soon," he said as I heard his car start. He was in a hurry, and it made me smile.

I couldn't wait to see Carlisle. After meeting with Carmen, I just wanted him to hold me. I wanted to be in his arms and breathe in his calming scent. I was so excited to get to be alone with him in public. I would be able to hold his hand without worrying who would see because I didn't know anyone here and Edward wouldn't find out.

Edward finding out worried me and, because Bella knew, I knew it was only a matter of time before we had to tell him. In my heart, I knew Bella wouldn't tell him. She'd let us do it. She hadn't said anything more to me about it, only that ominous comment at dinner on Saturday, when her eyes flashed to Carlisle, then back at me. Bella was very observant, and I'm guessing she had known I was in Carlisle's room all night Friday. It wouldn't be hard to piece it together, so I wasn't surprised she had. Now, though, I had to be careful around Edward. I wanted to tell him when I was ready. When I knew for sure that this thing with Carlisle would last. Yes, I knew it was real, but that didn't mean it would last. Love can only do so much. It can only hold people together for so long before the reality set in.

I was broken. I wasn't normal, and I could never ask Carlisle to put up with that if he wasn't sure. I'd give this a few weeks, and then see how he felt. If he couldn't do this, then I'd understand. I'd be heartbroken, but I'd deal with it. Carlisle had helped me so much in such a short time. He's been supportive, and oh-so-kind. But he did all that as a friend. Could he continue to do that as… a boyfriend?

I had been so wrapped up in my thoughts I hadn't realized an hour had almost passed. I quickly drove the few blocks to the restaurant I told Carlisle about. Thankfully, he wasn't there yet. I pulled my make-up bag out of my purse and touched up. I fixed my mascara, and attempted to cover the dark circles under my eyes. I even applied a little lip gloss. I never did that, but I wanted to look good for Carlisle. It was clear I was infatuated with this man, and I just wanted to look my best. I wanted to feel deserving of being with him.

I heard the engine of Carlisle's Mercedes cut off next to me, just as I put my bag away. I looked over to him, and he smiled before stepping out of his car. I shut my mirror and was about to open my door, but he got to it first. He held his hand out and I took it.

"You look gorgeous," he said before I quickly pecked his lips.

"Thank you. You don't look to bad yourself, Dr. Cullen." I was grinning and he chuckled softly.

He placed his hand on my face and pulled my lips to his once more. His kiss was something dreams were made of. I wanted to do that little foot lift you see in movies. "I love it when you call me that," he told me after we parted.

He took my hand and we walked towards the doors. "Your eye looks a little better today," I noted.

"The swelling has gone down some. It's still pretty ugly, though."

I shook my head. "Nothing about you is ugly."

"Thank you," he told me before turning to the hostess.

"Welcome to Chestnut Cottage Restaurant. Just two?" the teenage girl asked with a bright smile.

"Yes, thank you," Carlisle told her.

The hostess led us back to a quiet table for two. She gave us menus and left, saying our waitress would be around soon. The table was small, and I put my hands on it. I opened the menu with one and, surprisingly, Carlisle took my other. I looked up to see him grinning.

"I know I've already said this, but you look gorgeous," he said as I blushed.

"Thank you," I whispered with a smile.

"Do you want to talk about anything?"

"Um, not really, if that's okay?"

He nodded. "Of course. I'm really glad you invited me to lunch. I must say, I was getting a little bored at the house. I think I may have to go back to work soon, otherwise, I don't know what I'll do with myself." He laughed and it was the most beautiful sound.

"I'm going back tomorrow."

He cocked his eyebrow. "Do you have to?"

"No, but like you, I'm bored. I don't want to sit around just thinking."

"Well, I'm going to see Rose tomorrow. I was hoping you'd want to come with, but I understand if you need to go back to work."

"Oh, actually, work can wait another day. I do want to see how Rose and the baby are doing. Has she been released yet?"

"Yesterday morning. They kept her over the weekend because she was still in more pain than they expected, but she's better now. Although, she only leaves the hospital at night. She gets there before visiting hours start, and leaves when they end. She just wants to be with Andy."

"I'm glad she's doing okay. How is Andy?"

"Wonderful. He's very, very strong. A fighter. He's breathing on his own, but he's experiencing some episodes of apnea, so they're keeping a close eye on his."

"Apnea? Isn't that where someone stops breathing in their sleep?" That sounded really concerning to me, but Carlisle didn't seem too worried.

"It's normal for a preemie his age. They're monitoring him, and if he stops breathing, the nurses are alerted. They just stimulate him, and he breathes. It can last a few weeks, or even a few months, but hopefully it'll resolve soon."

"Any other complications?"

"Nothing that isn't expected. He's doing extremely well for his age, Esme."

"Well, that's good," I said, just as the waitress made her appearance.

We ordered our drinks and lunch. I got a salad, and Carlisle ordered a sandwich. The waitress brought us water and then left us alone. She glanced at Carlisle a few times. I wasn't sure if it was because of his eye, or because he was the most gorgeous man in the world, but I wasn't jealous. I just felt lucky to be with a man who wanted me, but could have anyone.

I sat there staring at him for a few moments. He smiled kindly and looked at me. We were both content just holding each other's hands and gazing upon each other. I loved looking into his blue eyes. It seemed like they went on forever. They were so beautiful. I watched as a few pieces of his blonde hair fell from the swept back location. He just lifted his free hand and ran it through his hair, pushing the piece back.

"You're so handsome," I whispered with a smile.

"Thank you. You're beautiful," he told me. "So, how are you? I know you don't want to talk about your session, and that's okay, but I just want to make sure you're all right."

"I am. It was hard, and I didn't get to talk about what I wanted, but I did what I could. I just got pretty upset, and needed to stop."

"That's alright. May I ask what you did want to talk about?"

"Us," I whispered, looking away from him.

He gave my hand a squeeze. "Esme, if you're not ready for this, we don't have to do it. I can wait."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You wouldn't be asking me to do anything. I'm telling you, Esme, we can take this slow. We don't have to be in a relationship if you're not ready. I want you to be ready. And I can wait forever."

"I do want to be with you, though. I'm tired of feeling like… like my life is in limbo. I'm ready to move on, with you."

He smiled and raised his hand to touch my cheek. "Well, I'm ready when you are. And, while I love this lunch date, I think we should go out on a real one. Just you and I. I'll make sure you have the time of your life."

"I'd like that," I said as our food came.

We talked while we ate. Carlisle said he hadn't done much today. He tried to go for a jog this morning, but it hurt his ribs, so he stopped and went back home. He managed to get some paperwork done that he had been putting off. It was stuff for building his house. He and the architect confirmed exactly how he wanted the house done, so they would be breaking ground soon. He told me it would take a while to complete, since winter was coming, but he wasn't too concerned. The topic soon shifted back to me.

"How are your online courses going?"

"I haven't told anyone this. I just found out Friday, but the art teacher at Forks Elementary is retiring. With my Bachelor in Fine Arts degree, I'm eligible for the job. I applied."

"That's wonderful! So, what about your courses?"

"I'm going to finish what I've started this semester, but if I get the job, I'm going to put that on hold. I kind of like the idea of teaching art class. Even more than other classes. I think it may be my actual calling."

"Well, I think you should go for it. If you think that's what you want, then do it. And if you find you want to go back to school, you'll already have a few courses under your belt."

"I am excited. I really hope I get the job."

"I have no doubt you will."

I smiled. "Thank you, Carlisle. You don't know how great it feels to know you believe in me."

He put down his fork, and caressed the top of my hand. "I'll always believe in you. You're amazing, and I have no doubts you'll accomplish whatever you set your mind to."

"I know this might sound soon, but… Carlisle, I love you."

He grinned from ear to ear. "I love you too."

"I want to come home tonight."

He looked surprised. "Are you sure you're ready?"

I nodded. "As ready as I can be. Besides, after Edward goes to bed, we could always snuggle." I grinned. I very much liked the idea of just snuggling.

"I would love to have you in my arms again."

"Me too."

I followed Carlisle back to Forks. He drove straight to Bella's house, so I could get my stuff. I wanted to go back to the house when no one was home so Carlisle could hold my hand and be my support. I left a note on Bella's fridge, in case she got home before I could call her. Carlisle took my two bags down to my car and then we left. I was anxious, and gripped the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned white. When we pulled up, I took a deep breath. I told myself I could do this, and then opened my door, just before Carlisle could.

He gave me his hand, and smiled. "I love you," he told me, placing a kiss on my temple.

When we got to the door, he reached for his keys. I stopped him. "I need to do it."

He nodded and dropped his hand. I put my key in the door, opened the lock, and then gripped the knob. I hesitated, frightened. He rubbed my back and murmured he loved me, and that I was safe. That gave me the courage to open it. I stepped over the threshold with him behind me. Everything looked normal, just like it had on Saturday. The table Charles knocked me into was perfectly in place. When we walked into the living room, I found the chair just as it had been.

"It's like nothing happened," I whispered.

"It was like this on Saturday," he told me.

I nodded. "I know, but I really didn't look then. I just wanted to hurry and leave."

"Well, almost everything is back to normal. The picture in the hall is missing; Edward hasn't replaced it yet. But, other than that, and my room, it's the same as it always was."

"Your room?" I asked.

"Yeah, I have to get a new lamp, but the door is fixed."

"And the blood stains?"

"Cleaned for the most part, but the wood was permanently stained, so Edward is having the floor in the hallway replaced as soon as he can. In the meantime, there's a rug covering it. You can't tell."

"Okay. And that's it?"

He nodded. "Yes, that's it. Let's put your things away."

I looked down the hall before going in my room. The rug looked out of place, and I could kind of see where the wall had been patched up and repainted. It wasn't drastic, and if I hadn't been looking for it, I wouldn't have noticed the wall.

"How are you doing?" Carlisle asked, as he put my bags on my bed.

"It's… difficult." I didn't know how to explain it. I had this feeling of dread and I easily remembered everything, but I also felt a little good. I was home. This was still my safe place; Charles didn't take that away from me. "But, I feel good. I feel like this is a step in the right direction."

He smiled and pulled me into his arms. I felt safe wrapped in his embrace. "It is. You amaze me, you know that?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't believe that."

He pulled back some, put his index finger under my chin, and lifted my face to his. His eyes were kind, but serious. "You do. Your strength is astounding, and I am so proud of you. I feel so lucky to be able to call you mine."

"I'm yours?"

"As long as you allow it. I want you to me mine, and I want to be yours."

"Carlisle, it's so soon. How can you say that?"

"I just know. I can feel it."

"You don't think we're moving too fast?"

"Maybe, but I've had these feelings for so long and now that I get to express them, I just want to. I can stop, if you'd like."

I shook my head. "No, I don't want you to. I guess you're right, these feelings haven't come on suddenly. It's not like we met in a bar a few days ago and are saying these things."

He looked away with a smirk. "Trust me; I've wanted to say these things for a _very _long time."

"Then why did I have to act first? Huh, mister?" I jabbed his chest. "You made me make the first move."

"Technically, _I _kissed _you_."

"But only because I asked," I said. "You wouldn't have if I hadn't."

He shrugged. "You're right. I would have kept my feelings silent, but only because I didn't want to scare you. Or make you uncomfortable."

I pressed my head against the center of his chest. "I'm glad you let me make the first move. I don't know why, but it put me at ease. If you had just kissed me, I may have freaked out."

"Everything is on your terms. Though, kissing is allowed without prompt, yes?"

"Of course."

"Good." He took my lips, and I wrapped my hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down further. It wasn't fair that I was always on my toes.

When we pulled back, he had a silly grin on his face. "What is it with you? You're always grinning."

"I'm just so happy. You make me so happy, Esme."

Once I was settled, I decided it would be a good idea to call Edward. I figured he'd want to know I was home. To say he was happy would be an understatement. He was elated to know I was back home, and even said he would call the doctor who was coming in next and see if she could get there early so he could leave. I think he wanted to see it so he could believe it.

I decided it was time I cook a good meal again, but with the meat frozen, I had to run to the store. Carlisle offered to come with, but I told him I'd be fine. Truthfully, I didn't think I could keep my hands off him if he came. With on last peck on the lips, I left.

I had decided to make one of Edward's favorites – Chicken Parmesan. He loves it, and always has. I figured I'd make him happy with that. Besides, I knew Carlisle liked my Chicken Parmesan as well, so I was good with that choice.

As I walked through the aisles, picking up each ingredient, I couldn't help but notice people looking at me. It made me feel self-conscious. Every move I made was being watched. And then, I heard the whispers. One woman asked another if I was Dr. Masen's sister – the one who had been attacked. It seemed news traveled around this small town. I guess I should have been expecting it. In a town where there was barely any crime, I should have known something like what happened would spread. I hurried through my shopping because I just wanted to leave.

"Excuse me, miss," an older woman asked, tapping on my shoulder.

I turned cautiously. "Yes?"

"Are you all right? We heard what happened," she said.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine. I have to go." I tried to leave, but she spoke again.

"And what about Dr. Cullen? We heard he hasn't been to work in days – that he was hurt."

"Carlisle is fine," I lied. "He's just taking some time off. He'll be back to work in a few days. I'm sure the rumors are greatly exaggerated."

I didn't wait for her response. I grabbed the chicken breasts and left before she could say another word. I was anxious as I checked out, just about begging the cashier to go faster with my eyes. Thankfully, I think she realized I was in a hurry and sped through my few purchases. I paid, and basically ran from the store. It may have been in my head, but I could have sworn everyone's eyes were on me.

"Mmm, I know my sissy's home!" Edward called as I heard the front door shut.

"In the kitchen!" I said, pulling the chicken from the oven so I could put the cheese on for it to melt.

"And she's cooking," he said, grinning as he put his bag over a chair. He came over and pulled me into a hug. "God, I've missed you."

"I saw you yesterday," I teased.

"I know, but I've missed having you here. How are you?" he asked, pulling back.

"I'm good." It was somewhat true. I was good with being home, but the time at the store had me upset. I wasn't going to tell him that, though.

"Yeah?" he asked, smiling. "Does the house look good? Everything look pretty much like normal?"

I nodded. "It does. Thank you, it seems almost normal."

"I'm having the floor in the hallway replaced by the end of the week. Then, all reminders will be gone."

_All the physical reminders… he couldn't do anything about the reminders from the people in town_, I thought. "It's all right. You don't have to rush. The rug looks fine," I told him. "Dinner will be ready soon. Why don't you go change? By then the cheese will have melted."

"Sounds good to me. Smells delicious, sissy."

"Thanks, Eddie." I smiled as he walked away.

I finished cooking, set the table, and Edward and Carlisle came in. They were both grinning like fools. I think Edward may have even been drooling a little.

"Oh, sissy, you didn't have to cook on your first night back, but I'm grateful you did," Edward said, digging his fork into the meal.

"It's looks amazing, Esme," Carlisle said, smiling.

"Thank you."

"So, what made you decide to come home?" Edward asked.

"It was time. I missed it here. Bella's was nice, but I missed my home."

He smiled, his mouth full of food. "Glad to have you home."

I rolled my eyes. "Will you ever learn not to talk with your mouth full? Did your mother not teach you manners?"

"My nanny did. I chose not to listen. It seems yours did a better job," he teased.

"Yep, Mother and Father r ealized their mistake with yours. Mine was more maternal."

"Mine was a bitch."

I laughed. "What was her name?"

"I have no fucking idea, Ms. – I seriously can't remember. I just remember she was a bitch. I wish I had yours."

"Ms. Marilyn was so nice. I miss her."

"What happened to her?" Carlisle asked.

"She was let go when I was ten. From there on out, Eddie took care of me when he could, or I took care of myself. Our parents really weren't very involved. Oh, except when they found out I wasn't going to be a lawyer or doctor. Trust fund, bye-bye."

Carlisle eyebrow furrowed. "You don't have a trust fund like Edward?"

I shook my head. "No, Edward paid for my college because they refused. They don't know he paid, though. Otherwise, he might have been cut off as well, though, I highly doubt they would have done it. He was always their favorite, and still the one they brag about," I said. "Oh, our son Edward, he's a doctor," I mocked them.

"And yet, you see I don't speak to them," Edward said.

"No, and that's because of me."

"They're assholes, Es. Plain and simple, they don't know what they're missing. Here they have an amazing and brave daughter, yet they don't know it."

"I'm sorry, Esme. I didn't know you and your parents had that type of relationship. I mean, I doubted you talked to them, from what Edward has said, but I didn't know they basically disowned you," Carlisle said.

"I got over my parent issues long ago. I think it helps that I barely know them anyway."

"Still, I'm sorry."

I smiled. "It's okay. Please don't apologize. I have my brother, and that's all I need family wise."

His face fell more; he looked like his mind was running a mile a minute. "Of course," he said, quietly.

I wondered if I had upset Carlisle at dinner that night. He said I hadn't, but still, he acted a little different. That was until we were alone. He then acted like my Carlisle. He wrapped me in his arms after Edward went to sleep and we watched TV, ready to part at any moment if Edward came out. Luckily he didn't, and I got to fall asleep in Carlisle's arms. He woke me up and let me go to my room, but not before a goodnight kiss.

I planned on speaking to Carmen about Carlisle on Friday. I didn't know how that would go, or if I'd even get to it if the session was as overwhelming as today's, but that was my plan. I highly doubted she'd tell me to stop. She could advise against it, but I thought after she heard how good Carlisle was to me, she'd understand. Still, I wanted to talk about it. I wanted to be sure I wasn't moving too fast, because I still had a lot to work through. But with Carlisle by my side, I knew I could do it. He'd keep me from going off the edge – he'd keep me, _me_.

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><p><strong>AN: **It makes me so happy knowing you all enjoy this little story of mind. I can't describe how happy I get when I receive emails saying you all have reviewed, favorite, or alerted this story. So, I just wanted to say thank you!

In case you didn't know, I'm on twitter! anhanninen is my name. Follow me and I'll follow back. I love talking to my readers and other authors.

One more big thank you… SparklyRedPen is a beta service site that has set me up with a prereader and second beta. They are amazing, and if you're an author I recommend checking them out.

Also, if you love Carlisle and Esme I have a treat for you. There's this awesome forum Trepidatious(dot)Musings has set up called Carlisle and Esme, Hopeless Romantic. It's a proboards site and we'd love it if you joined.

Again, thank you all so much for reading and reviewing. Reviews make my day and keep me inspired. I love hearing your thoughts and if you review I give **teasers **for the next chapter.

**Please Review…**


	15. 15th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing MelissaMargaret **and **HollettLA who beta'd this for me. They are both absolutely amazing! And I am in awe of their skills.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!

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><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

I woke up Wednesday with a smile on my face. Carlisle was taking me with him to Seattle today to see Rose and little Andy. Andy is ten days old today, and I was so excited to see him. Carlisle said he had gained some weight, and fast too. He had gained four ounces, which is incredible – Carlisle was just happy he hasn't lost any. I decided to bring the little blanket I had gotten for Rose's baby shower. We never got to have it, but my main gift was the nursery. Rose offered to pay me, but I couldn't let her do that; so instead, designing the nursery was my main gift.

"You're already cooking breakfast. Dear God, how I have missed your breakfasts," Edward said, walking into the kitchen as I scooped the eggs onto the plates.

"Seriously, Edward, it's only been since Friday," I teased.

"Four mornings I woke up without your eggs. I was getting withdrawal symptoms." Drama queen.

"Bella made you breakfast Saturday and Sunday. You've only gone two mornings without a homemade breakfast. You lived."

He put his hand over his heart. "Barely, sissy." He laughed loudly as I put the empty pan down – just in time for Carlisle to emerge.

My breath caught. He was a gorgeous man after all, and though I tried not to notice it before, he looked extremely good in regular clothes. I usually saw him in dress pants and button-down shirt with a tie, so the jeans and t-shirt ensemble had me in a tizzy. His arms were one of his many great features. They were large, strong, but not overly muscular. Perfect, if you asked me. I loved being wrapped in those strong arms. They were safe and comforting, and just imagining myself in them had me catching my breath.

"Es?" Edward asked, snapping me back to reality.

"Hmm? Oh, sorry, I must still be a little tired."

"Obviously. You zoned out for a moment there," he said, laughing.

"Are you too tired?" Carlisle asked. "We can leave later. Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"No, I'm fine."

He smirked. He knew what I was "zoned out" doing. Smug bastard, with his gorgeous smile that makes me swoon. "All right, good. The drive takes about four hours, as you know, so I wanted to leave early. That way we'd have more time," he said. "With the baby," he added hastily.

_Smooth_, I thought. We had planned to go to the Space Needle before coming home. I've never been, even though I had lived in Seattle, and I wanted to go. "Great. I can't wait to see him."

"Give the little guy love from me. Oh, and Carlisle?" Edward asked.

"Yes?"

"Make sure Rose is taking care of herself. I'm a little worried about her or, I should say, Emmett is."

Carlisle nodded before he picked up his fork. "Will do."

Carlisle and I left the house before Edward did. We took his Mercedes, and he drove. The plush leather seat was wonderful for the long ride. I was nice and comfortable – even more comfortable once Carlisle took my hand.

"You look so beautiful today," he told me.

"You say that every day."

He turned to me, just briefly. "Because you look beautiful every day." He turned his head back to the road. "I like it that you don't wear very much makeup. You're just so naturally beautiful."

I was already blushing. Ten minutes into this drive and he had me blushing like a fool. "Thank you," I whispered. "You make me feel so wonderful with your comments. Even though they are unnecessary."

He shook his head. "No, they're not. You deserve to be told how wonderful, amazing, and beautiful you are every day. And I plan to."

"It's going to get old for you."

"I highly doubt that," he said, turning to me and flashing his dazzling smile.

The drive was beautiful. It was fall, so the leaves were changing colors. I've never driven to, or from, Forks in the fall, and it was nice. I had Carlisle's hand in mine, each of us smiling at the other, and beautiful scenery. I was happy.

"Anything I should know?" I asked, washing my hands in the sink like Carlisle was.

We had just spoken to Emmett; he said Rose and the baby were in the special care nursery waiting for us. I gave him the baby blanket, since I couldn't take it into the nursery with me. He promised to give it to Rose the second he was allowed.

He had to step out so we could go in; there was only so much room. Only two people were actually allowed with each baby at a time, but thankfully, with Carlisle being known around here, we were both allowed in with Rose to see little Andy.

"We can't hold him – no one can. But we can touch him. Don't be alarmed by the wires and tubes, it's all to help him," Carlisle told me.

"Is he breathing all on his own?"

He nodded with a smile. "Amazingly, yes. They have him on caffeine pills for the apnea, so they don't have him on any breathing apparatus to help. He is getting a little extra oxygen through a cannula, but that's normal. No CPAP or ventilator."

"How cute is he?"

I was grinning in anticipation of seeing the beautiful baby boy in person. I knew the pictures couldn't do him full justice, but the fine blonde hair was adorable. I wanted to see his eyes though. I've been told they're blue, but they may change some as he matures. Hopefully they wind up looking like replicas of Rose's. She had beautiful eyes.

"Cutest baby I have ever seen. And that's not biased, even though I did deliver him."

"I'm sure it's not."

"Well, let's go," he said, pressing the buttons on the door with a code. He must have had the code because Rose requested him to be Andy's doctor. That way he had unrestricted access – his privileges allow him to work at the hospital anyway.

The nursery was silent, except for the beeping and whooshing sounds that meant the babies were alive and being cared for. It wasn't very bright, but each isolette had a light above it. Most were turned off, but a few weren't. I didn't understand everything, but I assumed some babies needed the light for warming, or certain problems.

We soon saw Rose. She was sitting in a rocking chair next to one of the isolettes. Her hand was placed through a circle in the plastic shell. She had a smile on her face and was humming very softly.

"Hey, Rose," Carlisle whispered.

She looked up, smiling more. "Hi," she whispered back. "Esme, how are you?"

"I'm good. How are you doing? How's Andy?"

"He's wonderful," she told me, then turned back to the isolette. "Aren't you, big boy? Say hi to your Auntie Esme."

"Auntie?" I asked.

She nodded. "Well, of course. Here, come look at him. He's so beautiful."

I stepped closer, and came face to face with what had to be the most precious baby in the world. He had a blue cap over his head, tubes everywhere, and a little diaper on his behind. His fingers were curled around Rose's index finger. My God, he was just… an angel.

"He's so small, but oh so cute!" I whispered, enthused.

She nodded vigorously. "Yep, and look at that grip! He doesn't like to let me go."

"He's just so happy to have his mommy nearby," Carlisle said, looking up from the chart in his hands. _Always the doctor_, I thought. He must have been looking over all of Andy's tests and whatnot.

"He is," Rose agreed. "And Mommy's happy to be near him," she told the little baby.

"Rose, would you mind if we spoke? Outside?" Carlisle asked.

"Is something wrong? What haven't they told me?"

She was beginning to panic, but Carlisle quickly calmed her down by saying he just wanted to check on her. She agreed to leave Andy on one condition - I stay until she gets back. I, of course, accepted. She moved from her spot and had me sit.

"Give him your finger," she instructed.

I did as she said, and he latched on. I grinned and laughed – a little too loudly. "I'm sorry," I whispered, still smiling.

She laughed. "I did the same thing. Emmett about hollered apparently."

Carlisle and Rose left the room, and I was then alone with the tiny miracle. He was just so precious. He was small, but beautiful. I was right before, the picture hadn't done him justice. I just couldn't believe how strong he was. His grip was tighter than I had thought it would be.

"You're so innocent," I whispered. "The world hasn't tainted you yet, and I pray it never does. You're one lucky little boy, you know that?"

Of course, Andy couldn't respond or acknowledge me. But that didn't stop me from continuing to talk to him.

"Your mommy and daddy love you so much. They are going to be amazing parents. That's why I said you're lucky."

I kept talking, just telling him he was so adorable and strong. I even put my other hand through the plastic and touched his head. I moved the cap just a touch, and out peeked that fine blonde hair. Yep, just like his mommy's.

"He's going to have a mane," Rose said.

I hadn't even heard her and Carlisle come back. I was just so enamored with this child.

"It's going to be like yours," I said. "Here, let me move. I think he wants his mommy back anyway."

I let Rose take her place again. She gave Andy her finger, and he latched on. His little feet started kicking a little. He was starting to wake up. Oh, I just wanted him to open those eyes!

"He's still a kicker, I see?" Carlisle asked, laying his hand over Andy's tummy.

He was so gentle with him. Every touch was soft, he even whispered as he checked Andy's lines and monitors. He told Andy he was being a good boy. That he was so sweet. I swear, the grin on my face couldn't be matched.

"Carlisle, are you sure about what you said?" Rose asked.

He nodded. "I am. Forks Hospital can take care of him. I think it'll be better for you and, in turn, better for Andy. He needs his mommy to be strong, which means you have to take care of yourself. And I know you haven't been."

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Carlisle thinks Andy can be transferred to Forks in two weeks," Rose told me, and then turned to Carlisle. "I just… Are you positive?"

"As long as he starts to nurse, then yes. We can monitor him there. We have a great pediatrician and, though I'll have to ask, I'm sure she can give him what he needs. As long as no problems arise, I don't see why he can't be cared for there," Carlisle said.

"But Forks doesn't have a NICU," I said.

"No, but Andy is doing so well. He's matured very fast. His organs look great, his weight keeps going up every day and, with the caffeine pills, the apnea spells have decreased. This is all astounding for an infant his age," he said, smiling down at Andy. "He's a little miracle."

"He is, isn't he?" Rose asked.

"Yep, Forks' own miracle," Carlisle said.

Rose looked up to Carlisle, taking her eyes off Andy. "And it's all thanks to you."

"I just did what I could. He's done all the hard work."

I looked to Andy as they spoke softly about his progress. I didn't understand most of what Carlisle was saying, so I just watched the sweet boy. Suddenly, his eyes fluttered open. They were crystal clear, bright blue, just a few shades different then Rose's.

"Oh my," I said, placing my hand on my chest.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" Rose asked.

"Breathtaking." Just then, Andy's eyes met mine.

"Hi, sweet boy," I whispered. He kicked his feet.

"He likes the sound of your voice," Rose told me.

"How do you know?"

"Well, there's this nurse that he doesn't like listening to. He starts to cry when she talks," she said, laughing. "So, if he kicks his feet, and doesn't cry, it means he likes your voice."

"You already know him so well."

"He's been a part of me for so many months, and now that he's here, it's like… I just know him. I never knew I could love someone so much, so quickly."

Carlisle and I spent about an hour with Rose and Andy. The tiny baby fell back asleep, but we kept admiring him. Well, I did. Carlisle was more concerned with Rose. When we left, I asked him why. He told me Emmett had voiced his concerns that Rose wasn't eating, and was barely sleeping. It was one of the reasons Carlisle wanted to bring Andy back to Forks. Rose was still recovering, and if she didn't take care of herself, it could be bad. He said he felt she understood a little better by the time we left. If she wanted to be there and care for Andy, she had to take care of herself first.

"So, in two weeks Andy is coming to Forks?" I asked as we walked down the busy street – hand in hand.

"I hope so. He'll be twenty-four days old, and he's already so advanced, I don't see why not. As long as he continues to do so well, I think he'll be fine."

"But you said he had to stay in the hospital until he would have been full-term?"

"I did, and he'll be in the hospital. By then he would have been thirty-four weeks gestation, so if he had been born at that age, he may not have needed to be in the NICU but a few days. With how mature he is already, I think he'll be at Forks for two more weeks. Honestly, Esme, he's a miracle. I haven't seen many preemies born ten weeks early do as well as he has. When I did my NICU rotation back in medical school, thirty weeks was hit or miss. Either the baby did very well, or was extremely sick."

"And Andy is one that did very well."

"Amazingly well. He's probably the healthiest baby I've ever seen born that early. Rose really took care of herself and Andy during the pregnancy, so that helped a lot. The rest is pure luck. That's why he's a miracle."

"He also had an amazing doctor."

He shook his head no. "I didn't even examine Andy until he was brought here. I was more concerned for Rose's life. Edward took care of him. He intubated, gave him the right medications, and had him on that medevac in record time. He's the one who saved Andy, not me."

"Well then, I must say, I'm proud of my brother."

"You should be. Edward is an amazing doctor."

"But you are too. You saved Rose."

"I did what I could."

I rolled my eyes. "Why are you so modest?"

"Medicine is science, yes, but without God, I believe we'd be lost. I thank God for giving me the skills to be a good doctor. I do what I can, and allow Him to do the rest."

"I didn't realize you were so religious."

"I'm really not. I didn't go to a church until I was almost eighteen. And I certainly don't attend one nowadays. I pray, but that's about it."

"I believe in God, but… I don't know. I look at the news, and people's lives, and I ask why. Why does God allow those things to happen?"

"We're only human. We have free will to do whatever we please. I think God helps us through, in his own way."

"I see your point."

"You don't have to agree with me."

"I know, but I do. We're a lot alike, you know?"

He smiled and kissed my head. "We're kinda perfect for each other."

I laughed. "We really are."

While we weren't able to eat at the restaurant in the Space Needle, we did enjoy the view of the city. Carlisle couldn't believe I had lived in the city for four years and hadn't been to the Space Needle. I had just never found the time, I guess.

"So beautiful," Carlisle murmured, while he held me against his side as we looked out at the city from the observation deck.

"The mountains are gorgeous," I agreed.

"Well, yes, but I was talking about you." He grinned and chuckled, watching me.

I smirked and rolled my eyes. "Stop looking at me."

"Never."

"You will, one day," I said.

He looked offended. "Why would you say that?"

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that." I felt bad, it came out completely wrong.

"Esme, do you not see how amazing you are?"

"I… It's going to take time, Carlisle."

"I know that, but… I just don't understand. I want you to see yourself how I do. Not how Charles did."

"I'm trying!" I was getting frustrated. Did he not see it would take time?

"Do you think I'm lying?"

I shook my head. "No, I just… I don't want you to wake up one day, and realize this was a mistake. I'm not… normal. A part of me is broken, and I don't know how long it'll take to fix, or if I ever will."

"This isn't a mistake. I'm here, for good. I'm not going anywhere. I'll help you in whatever way I can. As for being broken, you're not. You were hurt by a horrible man, but that man can't hurt you again. I realize it'll take time for you to heal, and I will wait, but… It gets to me that you don't see how wonderful you are. I just wish I could take what Charles did away."

I laid my head against his chest. "You can't. But… with your help, I can get better. I think I can be me again, maybe even a better me."

He kissed my hair. "I'm here, and I'm never going anywhere. Unless you ask me to, I'll never leave."

"I could never ask you to leave."

"Well then, I guess you're stuck with me." He laughed, and then tilted my head up to capture my lips.

I sighed into his mouth and our tongues entwined. There was a perfect balance between our tongues. Our kisses were perfect, and I had never kissed someone the way I kissed him. Well… I had, but the feelings were different. This felt… right. I've said that before, and I'm sure I'll never stop saying it. Kissing Carlisle was right. Period.

"I love you," he whispered, smiling.

I smiled back. "I love you too."

He held me against his chest as we looked out toward the mountains, the city, and the water. The view was wonderful, and seeing it with Carlisle made it even better. The day was delightful in every way. I couldn't have been happier.

I went back to work the next day. The day passed by semi-smoothly. No questions were asked, but I did get _those _looks. The sympathetic, "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay", ones. I could deal with those. It was the questions that would upset me, which was why the day went well for the most part – no questions. When I arrived home, I found out Edward was going to Bella's house for the evening. That made me happy for a few reasons. I was glad Edward and Bella would be getting some alone time – they deserved it. And I was glad Carlisle and I were getting some alone time – I think I deserved that, not to mention Carlisle.

With Edward gone, it was just Carlisle and me for dinner. I made something simple; we ate, talked about our day, and then settled on the couch for a movie. It was our thing – the movie that is. Tonight we watched a horror movie. They weren't usually my cup of tea, but it did give me the perfect excuse to bury my head in Carlisle's chest.

"It's not even scary yet, beautiful," Carlisle said, rubbing my back.

"Then why is the ominous music playing?" I asked, face firmly planted against his chest.

He chuckled. "It's build-up."

"For the scary part."

"You can look, you know. I've seen the movie, I'll tell you when someone is about to be killed."

"Promise?"

"Would I lie to you?"

I shook my head and looked up to him. "No, but I'm serious, warn me."

He nodded. "I promise, cross my heart even." He made a little cross over his heart and I smiled, rolling my eyes.

"Okay, I trust you."

We turned our attention back to the screen. Of course he was right, it wasn't scary yet. In fact, since we were only moments in, it was still building the plot. I sat, content, with his arms securely around me. I dug my hand into the popcorn bowl on his lap just as he did. He smiled and moved his hand, so I could get a piece. I gave him a peck on the cheek, just as he covered my eyes. I heard screams from the TV. He made sure I didn't see anything.

"Thank you," I said.

He kissed my forehead. "You're welcome. Esme, if you don't like scary movies, we don't have to watch this. I've seen it."

"No, I'm okay."

My eyes were covered for more time than they were open. Carlisle didn't mind. He just covered my eyes, or let me bury my head in his chest. Honestly, I didn't care about the movie. I'm sure it wasn't that scary, but I still buried my head. I just liked doing that. Near the halfway mark, Carlisle called it quits.

"No, I'm okay," I said.

"No, you're not. It's all right that you don't like this type of movie. I don't mind. There are plenty of others we can watch," he told me.

"Okay, but… can I still hold you tight?" I asked, smirking.

"Ah," he said. "So you're not afraid of the movie." A smile played on his lips as he realized exactly why I wanted to continue watching the movie. "We don't need an excuse to be like this. I love having you in my arms."

"Well, for starters, I really don't like these kinds of movies. So, I wasn't lying. But yes, I do like being like this, so… if we can stay like this without the screams, I think I'd be happier."

His warm hand rested on my neck and jaw, pulling my lips closer to his. When they touched, I smiled. After a few moments, he surprised me by pulling me onto his lap. I wrapped my hands around the back of his neck, clasping them together, as one of his hands trailed along my shoulder blade. The other was firm against my back – holding me close to him. His touch made me shiver, but in a good way. The only way to explain the feeling was bliss. I was just happy. Plain and simple. No other thoughts crossed my mind except him.

"Hello, Esme," Carmen greeted as I walked into her office Friday afternoon.

I took my seat on her couch and smiled. "Hello, Carmen."

"Well, you seem to be in much better spirits than the last time I saw you."

I nodded. "I am. I'm doing pretty well. I went home."

"Really?" She smiled. "When?"

"Tuesday evening. Carlisle helped me; actually, he's been helping me a lot. He's been my support through this."

She nodded. "Yes, we talked about that during your first session last week. You said Carlisle is the closest thing you've had to a best friend. I imagine he's very helpful. What sort of things has he done to help you?"

"I can talk to him about things I can't talk to Edward about. Like I said, he knew before anyone else, and he's always been supportive. He encouraged me to go to a group therapy session, which in turn led me here."

"And I'm very glad you are here, so I have him to thank." She smiled and breathed a laugh, before turning back into her more serious profession. "You talk a lot about Carlisle. May I ask why?"

"He's… well… you may not agree with this," I said, twirling my thumbs together in my. I was nervous about telling her - nervous for her reaction.

"You're involved with him," she said, as if it were nothing.

I nodded. "I am, but it just started."

"When?"

"Friday night."

Her eyes widened a little, and her brow rose. "Friday… Well, that wasn't what I expected to hear. I'm honestly quite surprised."

"I knew you would be."

"I'm surprised at the timing, but not by the fact that you're seeing him. I believed there were some feelings there because of how you spoke of him. I must say, I am a little concerned with the timing, though."

"I am too," I said. "But after what happened on Friday, I didn't want to wait any longer. So I asked him to kiss me."

"You made the first move?"

"I did, but he's felt the same way for months. He even said he would have kept his feelings secret if I hadn't asked him to kiss me. He's very good to me."

"He sounds like a good man. I hope you don't mind my asking, but how far have you gone with him? I'm just concerned for you; I'm not saying anything your doing is wrong."

"Just kiss. I'm not… I don't think I can do that. At least not now, or any time soon."

"Well, that's something you need to discuss with him. He needs to understand that you're not ready."

"He does. He's very conscious of everything he does with me. And I've told him I'm not ready. He understands completely."

"That's good."

"We've told each other we love each other, though."

"Okay, how did you feel about saying that?"

"I feel it. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."

"And you truly believe you're in love?"

I nodded. "I do. And I know he loves me."

"Wonderful. I'm happy for you, but I'd be remiss if I didn't say I was still concerned. You are so far along in your recovery, and you've done that without me. I don't want anything to set you back."

"I'm so far along because of Carlisle."

"I'm glad you have him, then. Still, I'd advise you to take it slow."

"I plan on it. I won't do anything until I'm ready."

"All right then, we still have some time. Would you like to discuss something else?"

"I've been trying to figure out how I wound up with Charles in the first place. I never saw myself as someone who'd get in that situation."

She smiled kindly. "I don't think anyone does, Esme. It happens to the best of women. They don't see it happening and, once it starts, they don't know how to get out of it."

"He was good to me in the beginning. Very nice. I didn't see it coming."

"No one does."

"I feel like I should have. Almost like, I'm blind to that. I know Carlisle isn't like that, but it worries me I didn't see it coming with Charles."

"I honestly don't see that happening again. Once it's happened, and you learn from it, you'll recognize the signs, and you'll know how to stop it."

"I hope so."

"Are you worried Carlisle may turn into that?"

"No, I know Carlisle. I just need to know why I didn't see it."

"Well, hopefully we'll discover that with time. You turned a blind eye, most women do."

"Part of me thinks I just didn't want to be alone."

"That may be correct. We'll figure it out, honey."

That evening I came home to find both Edward's and Bella's cars in the driveway. Carlisle's was missing, and I knew it would be, but that didn't stop my missing him. He went back to work today at noon for a twelve hour shift. He couldn't stand being home any longer, not that I blamed him. I was glad to be back at work as well.

"Esme, good, you're home," Edward said, sitting on the couch with his hand in Bella's. They stood up – keeping their hands together.

"Yeah, I had a session with Carmen," I said. "Otherwise I'd have been home sooner."

"We… uh… have some news," he said, grinning as he looked to Bella.

"Should I sit down?"

He laughed. "No, this is good news. Great news actually. We wanted you to be the first to know."

"Know what?"

"Bella and I are getting married."

My lips curled into a smile. "That's wonderful!" I exclaimed, launching myself into his arms as he let go of Bella's hand.

"You're happy?" he asked.

I squeezed him tighter. "Oh yes, Edward! This is fantastic. I'm so very happy for you two."

"Great!" he said as I let him go.

I pulled Bella into an embrace. "Congratulations, Bella. You are going to be a beautiful bride. And I know you will make my Eddie happy."

"Thank you, Esme. I was a little worried you might be upset," she told me.

"Why on earth would I be upset?"

She and Edward shared a look, before Edward spoke. "Sissy, Bella and I want to move in together. We're not doing it right this second, but I will be moving in with her."

"Oh, I take it you're selling the house?"

"No! I wouldn't do that, Es. Actually, I'm giving you the house. Carlisle and I have already talked, and he's going to move out, so you don't have to live alone with him. I didn't know how comfortable you'd be with that."

"I don't mind," I said.

He looked a little confused. "You want to live alone with Carlisle?"

"Edward, he is my friend too. Besides, his house won't be done for a few months. Where would he go? I honestly I have no problems living alone with Carlisle."

He smiled and nodded. "Well, that's good. It's a relief because I felt like I might have been kicking him out," he said. "Even so, if you find you don't like living alone with him, you don't have to."

"It'll be fine."

It may have been wrong of me, but I was elated Edward was moving out. I know it may seem too soon for Carlisle and me to be living together, but I didn't mind. I liked living with him; in fact, I think I'll be devastated when he does move into his own home. Thankfully, that was still months away, and many things can happen in a few months. Maybe… he'll ask me to move in with him. I was getting ahead of myself with that thought. I told Carmen I'd take this slow, and that wasn't taking anything slow. Still, I couldn't help that my mind went there. People plan ahead all the time. What woman doesn't think ahead when she starts a relationship? Then again, most women didn't just leave an abusive ex, and have him try to kill her.

"So, Edward's moving out," Carlisle said, sitting on my bed later that night.

He had just gotten home from the hospital, and Edward was over at Bella's, so we were alone.

I nodded. "Yep, it'll just be us."

He caressed the top of my hand. "Are you positive you're all right with that?"

"Absolutely. Edward's barely here anyway. It's not going to be much of a change."

"I think it'll be a big change. And I'm not sure you're ready for that."

My face fell. "What do you mean?"

"I'm moving out, Esme. We're in a relationship now, and very early in it, to be exact. I don't think we're at the point where we should live alone together. At least, not yet."

I tried blinking away the tears, but I was failing. "I… excuse me." I rushed out of the room to the bathroom, so he didn't see me cry.

He didn't want to live with me. Had I been a fool for thinking he would? Yes, I was a fool. He wasn't sure where this relationship was going, and he wanted to be sure he had a way out of it.

"Esme, please come out," Carlisle said, softly knocking on the door. "We need to talk about this; don't shut me out."

"I… understand, Carlisle. It's all right," I said, through the door.

"Sweetheart, please just come out."

I sniffled and wiped away my tears. There was no hiding the fact that I had been crying, but the least I could do was stop. So, I did. I dried my eyes, and left the bathroom. He stood just outside of the door, looking apologetic.

"I love you," he told me. "That's not what this is about."

I nodded. "I know."

"This isn't a normal relationship, we both know that. But, we can make it more normal. We need to go slow, and living together isn't going slow. I don't want you to think I don't want to live with you, because I do. I just think it's too soon."

"You're right." I sighed. "I'm sorry for assuming you'd want this right now."

He smiled and shook his head. "Don't be sorry. I do want this, but I want it when it'll be right. I want to be able to ask you to move in with me. Present you with a key in a little box." He laughed. "But I want to do that when the time is right. When we're ready for that. Because after that, I already know what comes next. I have no doubts in my mind this relationship will last forever. But it needs to be done in steps. No rushing in."

He came close and caressed my cheek. "I'm so sorry I made you cry," he whispered. "I never want to make you cry, and I promise I'll never do it again." He pressed his lips to both of my cheeks, and then captured my lips.

I was upset, there was no denying that, but I understood how Carlisle felt. I'd live with this; I may not be happy about it, but I'd make do, because in time, we would move in together. He'd make it a romantic gesture, one I'd be in awe over.

"Go out with me next Saturday," he said.

"Our first real date?"

He nodded, smiling. "Yes, and one you'll never forget."

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><p><strong>AN: **I'm sure a few of you want to hit me right now, but please, don't. I have a plan for this story. Carlisle moving out needs to happen to make Esme stronger. She can't lean on him forever. Just bear with me and I think you'll like the outcome.

I hope you all review, whether you hate me now, or love me. Reviews are just fantastic to me. So leave one, please?

Now… I have a recommendation for you all! **Shattered Glass Rose** has this amazing story. Surprisingly, it's not Carlisle and Esme or even canon. It's Bella and Jasper, and I am addicted. I think you all should check it out and give some love.

**Ancient History:** Bella's life is nothing spectacular. But, what happens when she decides to break out of her mold and be daring for a change. Will her efforts go unnoticed by the one person who matters to her? Or will she slip into the background once more?


	16. 16th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing MelissaMargaret **and **HollettLA who beta'd this for me. They are both absolutely amazing! And I am in awe of their skills.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

I didn't want to move out, but I knew it was the right thing to do. It broke my heart to leave Esme. I knew she was hurt by my decision, and it killed me to know I made her cry. The last thing I ever wanted to do was make my beautiful Esme cry. Her red eyes and flushed cheeks were like a dagger through my chest, and knowing I caused them made it even worse. I hoped she understood my reasoning. This relationship was new, and there was no need to rush anything. We had the rest of our lives ahead of us, and I planned to spend each day with her.

I found a place to move into Thursday evening when Edward told me what he had planned. It wasn't hard since I didn't care. The owners were just thankful I didn't care about the rent and had no trouble paying first and last month's. The house was small - two bedrooms, and one bath, and dead center in town. It wasn't homey by any means, and I wasn't looking forward to living there.

I still planned to spend most of my time where Esme was, in her house. But, I needed a place to sleep, a place to go to when I wasn't with her. Thankfully, I could move in immediately. I signed the month-to-month lease and received the keys yesterday afternoon. Most of my belongings were in storage, so I set up a time to have them brought over today. I didn't have much, just normal furniture and necessities such as cookware, a few paintings, and of course, my large book collection. I had boxes of books in the storage unit, but I didn't plan to put many out in the house since it was temporary.

"You work a little too fast," Esme said, standing in my doorway as I taped up the last box.

"I just thought… I wouldn't let this linger."

She nodded. "You're right, it's happening so…" She trailed off.

"It's better to just get it done, rather than draw it out."

She smiled sadly. "I'm going to miss you."

I stood up from my crouched position and walked closer to her, laying my hand on her cheek. "I'll miss you too, but we'll still see each other every day. How else will I be fed?" I laughed.

She rolled her eyes. "You did fine before me."

"Esme," I said, placing my other hand on her cheek. I pulled her face closer to mine. "We're not over. In fact, we're just beginning. I'm looking forward to the many nights I'll spend here in your home. I won't want to go to mine."

"I don't want you to go, though."

"We've been together for all of eleven days. I think it's a little too soon to be living together."

"We've been living together for months. Why does that have to change now?"

"Because we weren't in a relationship during that time. Please understand."

"I can't. I mean… I can, but I don't want to understand. I don't want to be away from you. I enjoy our evenings when Edward isn't home. Every evening could be like that if you just stay."

I shook my head, and then pressed our foreheads together. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"My heart is already very, very fond of you. It doesn't need absence."

"Beautiful," I sighed. "I know you don't like this… situation, but can't you just give it a try?"

She looked up to me meekly. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I think you'll find I'll be here _very _often."

She wrapped her arm around my neck and dug her face into my shoulder. "You better be."

I pressed my lips to her temple. Her small, 5-foot-3 frame shook with sobs. Damn it, I made her cry again. "Shh now, darling. It's all right." I pulled her flush against my body, absorbing her cries and attempting to soothe her.

Her sobs grew louder. "I love you so much!"

"I love you too, and _nothing _will change that. Remember what I said? How one day I will be asking you to move in with me?"

"Yes," she whispered.

"Just keep that in mind."

I spent Tuesday night at what was still Edward's house. I slept on the couch, and barely got to touch Esme since Edward was home. Part of me felt like I was making a huge mistake by moving, but another part – a bigger part – felt this was the right move. I was trying to help her by moving out.

She was still healing after what Charles did to her, and I wasn't helping by moving so fast with her. Limits needed to be set; it was only logical. No healthy relationship begins by living with each other after not even two weeks. No, relationships needed to be taken in steps. Jumping in wasn't the answer, so us living together wasn't good – at least not yet.

Wednesday started off bad, and only got worse once I arrived at the hospital. It was October, which meant flu shots. Not only did the hospital give them out to the community, but today just happened to be employee vaccination day. I spent the first few hours of my shift checking off names and sticking coworkers with needles. I just so happened to have signed up. When? I had no clue. I blamed Edward. It seemed like something he'd do, and my assumptions were proven correct when the smug bastard strutted past me with a knowing smirk.

"Having fun?" he asked, trying to hide his fucking laugh.

"Tons," I said, before turning back to the nurse I had just stuck. "You're good to go, Jane."

"Thanks, Dr. Cullen. I barely felt it," Jane said with what I hoped wasn't a flirty wink and smile.

Jane walked away, looking over her shoulder with that disturbing smile that truly made me want to crawl out of my skin.

"She likes you," Edward said.

"Don't you have patients to see?"

He shook his head. "Nope, let's go grab lunch."

I looked at my watch. Eleven in the morning wasn't _that _early. "Fine, let me clean up."

It took me all of five minutes to lock my things in the cabinet and meet Edward out front. We walked down the street to Subway, which I was still surprised this town had. The small town of Forks had grown on me since Esme arrived in late April. It was most likely just because of her, but I actually liked it here now. The people _were _nice, just as Edward had told me, and I did like the views I had from each angle.

"You're staying at your new place tonight?" Edward asked as we sat in the yellow and green dining room.

"I am. I haven't unpacked anything, or even put furniture where it really belongs, but the bed is where it needs to be. I guess that's all that really matters right now."

"I'm still trying to decide what to take to Bella's and what I should leave with Esme. I guess all the kitchen stuff can stay, but I think she'll want new living room furniture and stuff like that."

"I'm sure she'll figure it out. She is an interior designer."

"True. I'll probably take her shopping before I move and let her pick things out. The house is all hers now, so she can do what she'd like with it."

"All hers?" I asked.

He nodded, taking a drink of his water. "Yeah, I'm having papers drawn up to put it in her name. That way if she ever moves, she can sell it and make a profit."

"Can I ask you a question? It's about your parents."

"Sure, why not."

"Did they really just… cut Esme off?"

"Yes. She hadn't even had her major declared for one day before she called me, crying. They cancelled the tuition that had just been paid. She wasn't even able to start her classes the day she was supposed to," he said. "I called the school and set up payments to be taken out of my account, but that took time and she wound up missing the first day of her classes. She was devastated."

"Why didn't you tell me? We were living together at the time."

"It was a family thing, Carlisle. We were both busy, if you remember. It's not like we even spoke every day. We were in our last year of med school and weren't on the same rotation."

"I just… didn't realize how callous your parents were."

"Are," he corrected.

"I'm sorry?"

"Not were – are. Our parents are still horrible people, who I despise. And yet, Bella asked if I wanted to invite them to our wedding, and I said I didn't know. I'm actually considering it."

"How long has it been since you've spoken?"

"About four years. They send a stupid fucking Christmas newsletter every year, and that's the only reason I know they're not dead. That, and the fact my bank account hasn't added a few digits."

"Does Esme get one? Is she even mentioned?"

"No. I am, but she's not. I'm their son, _the doctor, _who is currently helping an underprivileged hospital. I'm using my skills to help the less fortunate, but according to them, I plan to return to New York in a few years, once I've settled down." He rolled his eyes as he spoke the blatant lies. "Wonder what they're going to say next year once I'm married."

"Why are they so cruel to her? She's so pure-hearted. I've never met a sweeter woman."

"She didn't do what they wanted. She didn't make them _proud_." He spoke the word with disgust. "Little do they know she's fucking amazing." He smiled as he thought of her.

"You're proud of her. I think that's all she cares about."

"I've always been proud of her. She made herself happy. Well… she did what made her happy at the time, and to me, that's all that matters. She could switch jobs every month doing whatever she wanted, and I'd still be proud, because she's doing what she wants, not what people want her to do."

"You didn't become a doctor because they wanted you to, right?"

"No. I wanted to be a doctor. It just so happened that it's one of the career choices they approve of. Then again, my father was slightly disappointed when I said I didn't want to follow in his footsteps and become a lawyer. He got over it, though, after my mother reminded him how good it would look to have a doctor for a son."

"I hate your parents, just so you know."

"If Bella and I do ever have kids, I swear to God, I'll be a better father. I'll be involved in everything they do, to the point where Bella's going to have to tell me to back off," he said, laughing.

"I think you'll make a great father. Have you and Bella discussed it?"

He shrugged. "A little after Andy was born. She wants kids, but she doesn't know how good of a mother she'll be. I told her she'd be great but, like me, she doesn't want to be like her parents. She loves them, but… well, you've heard stories about her flighty mother."

"She was still a good mother, though."

"Yeah, but Bella wants to be better."

"I think we all want to be better than our parents."

His ran his hand through his hair. "Shit. I'm sorry, Carlisle. Here I am ragging on my parents and you…"

"Didn't have any?" I finished his sentence.

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. My father died of a drug overdose in prison, my mother died long ago, and the one nurturer I had died trying to give me a better life. I've come to terms with it."

"Still-"

I cut him off. "It's fine. The way I look at it, I'm better off. Who knows what my life would be like if my mother hadn't died?"

"We really have parent issues."

I laughed. "Our children are going to hate us for being _too _loving."

He cocked his eyebrow. "Our children? You're suddenly thinking about settling down?"

"Yes, Edward. One day I will find that person, and I'm positive we'll have children."

I was hopeful of this. I knew Esme and I wanted kids, but it was just going to take time to get there. I hoped to have three, just like she wanted. I wanted two boys and a little girl, but I'd be happy with whatever we had, because they would be ours.

He laughed. "Good. My little Carlisle is growing up."

"Shut up and let's get back to work."

We stood up and threw our trash away. "Yes, you have horny nurses to stick."

"That was a horrible innuendo."

I spent most of the week working at the hospital and getting my new house somewhat organized. Esme came over Thursday after work and helped me put things away and move furniture. I could tell it was hard for her, helping me get comfortable in a house we didn't share, but she did it. She said she wanted to help. Apparently, I wasn't allowed to live out of boxes for the next few months.

When Saturday came, my mood brightened. Tonight I was taking Esme out. I had gotten a reservation at a small Italian restaurant in Sequim. It was further away than Port Angeles, but I doubted Esme would mind the hour-and-a-half-long drive. We'd have privacy, so she wouldn't care. I'd get to show her how much I really do love her. I'd get to flaunt the most beautiful woman in the world, and in the end, I hoped she'd have a great time. I knew I would, just because I'd get to be with her.

Edward was working the night shift, so he wasn't home when I went to pick Esme up. I was dressed in what I hoped was a nice suit and walked up to Esme's door holding the lilies I bought her. I had already done roses, so tonight I chose something else.

For some reason, I was nervous as I stood on her doorstep. I wanted this date to be perfect, and as romantic as possible. I wanted to give her what she deserved, and I was afraid I wouldn't. I had basically told Dr. Gerandy there would be hell to pay if I was called in, so I wasn't worried about ruining it by needing to go to work. No, I was worried I would ruin it with something I said or did. Even with my nerves, I decided it would probably be a good idea to knock. I didn't want Esme to think I was having second thoughts by waiting so long in between pulling up and knocking.

When she opened the door, she was breathtaking. Her hair was down, and fell just past her bare shoulders. The dress she wore had my eyes bulging. It was shorter than I thought she'd wear, and the black material looked wonderful as it hugged her curves. I was glad I had told her this would be a formal date; otherwise I think I would have looked like a fool in my suit.

"You look… amazing," I whispered, in awe of her beauty.

Her soft cheeks flushed red as she looked down, shyly. "Thank you," she told me. "You look great in a suit."

"I think I clean up well." I laughed as she did.

"Very well, Dr. Cullen." She grinned, knowing what her saying that did to me. "I feel a little underdressed, to be honest."

"Not at all. The dress is perfect."

"It's not too casual?"

I shook my head. "Absolutely not," I said, passing her the white bouquet of lilies.

Her face lit up. "Oh, Carlisle! They're lovely. Thank you," she said, admiring the bouquet. "Let me put them in water."

She began walking away, leaving me on the doorstep. She turned abruptly. "Well, now, just because you don't live here anymore doesn't mean you're not invited in."

She giggled as I walked through the door.

"So, what's it like living here without me?"

"Strange," she said, filling a vase up with water. "I keep thinking you'll open the door and just walk in with your briefcase. I've had to remind myself that isn't going to happen."

"When is Edward planning on moving?"

"In two weeks. He's taking me to Seattle to pick out new furniture next week, and then before it's delivered, he's having his stuff moved out. So, by mid-October, I'll really be all alone."

I placed my hand on her lower back. "You won't be alone, Esme. Once Edward moves out, I'll be here every night for as long as I can be."

She sighed and moved away, putting the flowers in the water-filled vase. "Maybe we should just tell him?"

This surprised me. It wasn't me who wanted to hide our relationship. I'd love to tell the world, but Esme had been apprehensive. "We can," I said. "If you want, we can tell him first thing tomorrow."

"I just… don't know." She shook her head and fixed the flowers, more or less overcorrecting their position to keep herself busy. "What if he's upset with me?"

I couldn't suppress my chuckle. "It won't be you he's upset with, darling."

She turned abruptly. "You're right." Her face fell even more. "This could ruin your friendship. What brother wants his best friend to date his sister?"

I caressed her cheek, hoping to soothe her. "He'll forgive me. Or… he may not even be angry." I shrugged. "He knows I wouldn't hurt you, so maybe he'll be all right with it."

She rolled her eyes. "He's Edward. The same Edward that is officially more overprotective of me than he was when I was a teenager. He already told me he wouldn't let anyone hurt me again, so he's going to be harsh."

"Yeah, well he once reminded me he knew the police chief very well. I think it may have been a threat."

She blanched. "He suspects?"

"It started off as a joke, but he did tell me not to think about you." I rubbed her arm as her eyes grew wider. "I honestly believe once he knows, he'll accept it. It may take a day or so, but he'll be all right."

"Well, maybe we should wait just a little while longer. Or beg Bella to take him to Seattle and tell him. That way he's too far away to throttle you." A small smile played on her lips.

I laughed. "That's actually a pretty good idea."

She rested her head against my chest and sighed. "Eventually, we'll have to tell him. I don't want him walking in on us, or hearing it from someone. He deserves to be told."

"I agree. We just have to decide when."

"Not tonight. Let's not decide tonight."

"Sounds good. Now, may I escort you to your chariot, my lady?" I held out my arm, and she snaked hers through mine.

"You may."

The drive was peaceful. I held her hand, and made sure to tell her how beautiful she was over and over. Her dress literally stole my breath. It cut off just before her knees, and had no straps so it was just held up by her… yeah, my eyes wandered a little. I couldn't help it, not when she wore that little black number. She wore a thin shawl over her bare shoulders, but I could tell she was getting a little chilly, so I turned up the heat.

She smiled at me. "Thank you. I think I should have worn something else."

"No," I said a little too quickly. "You look lovely in that dress. I'll keep you warm." I smirked, thinking of ways I could keep her warm. It wasn't my fault my thoughts went there; you just had to see her.

"I know you will, so… where are we going?"

"A restaurant."

She raised her eyebrow and huffed. "I assumed that."

I laughed. "It's an Italian restaurant. Is that better?"

"Where?"

"Sequim."

"Well, at least I know I've never been," she said, smiling as she adjusted our hands so our fingers were laced together. "This is nice."

"Holding your hand is always nice."

She leaned her head back and smiled. "Not only that. This… just being with you, knowing nothing will interrupt our evening, and knowing I don't have to worry about who sees. This is nice."

"It is. And soon, we won't have to worry about who sees. Once we tell Edward, there's no more hiding. I'll scream my love for you from the roof of the hospital if you'd like."

She laughed. "No need to go that far."

It was just after eight-thirty when we pulled up to the small restaurant. I opened her door for her and held my hand out. She took it with a smile, and fixed her shawl. We went through the doors and to the host.

"I have reservations for two under Carlisle Cullen," I told the man.

"Ah, yes of course. If you'll follow me, we have the table you requested," he said.

I placed my hand on the small of Esme's back and led her to the back of the restaurant. When I called for reservations, I had r equested a private table. I told them this was a first date with the most spectacular woman in the world, and the date had to be perfect. Maybe the manager was just a hopeless romantic, but she obliged and promised she would do what she could.

I pulled Esme's chair out and had her sit down. The man took Esme's shawl and set the menus down as I took my seat. The table was secluded, with a candle lighting the surface, creating the perfect ambience. This was just what I wanted.

"This is beautiful," she told me.

"I'm glad you like it. I've never been, but I've heard good things," I said, opening the menu to the wine list. "You'd like wine, right?"

She smiled. "I'd love a glass."

When the waitress came I asked for two glasses of their best wine. Esme deserved only the finest they had to offer. We ordered our entrees, and the waitress left us alone again after bringing the wine.

"Oh Carlisle, this is wonderful," Esme said with a smile after taking a sip.

"It is," I agreed as I watched her. The candlelight illuminated her features so brilliantly. "You truly look gorgeous tonight."

She blushed and rolled her eyes. So modest. "Thank you. You look very dashing. I have to say, I was surprised when you told me to wear something formal. I didn't expect, or need, you to go to all this trouble."

"It's no trouble at all. I want you to have an amazing time. You deserve it," I said. "So, anything new?"

She grinned. "Actually, yes."

"Well?" I said with a chuckle.

"Remember that job?"

I nodded. "Yes, I do."

"I got it, but the current teacher doesn't retire until the end of the school year, so I won't start until next year. You know, they weren't even going to start looking for a replacement for a while. I got very lucky that I heard about if from one of the administrators at the high school."

"They didn't even try looking for someone else? See, I knew you were perfect for the job. Congratulations, beautiful."

"Thank you," she said. "I'm really happy. I get to teach art to children!"

"That's wonderful. You're going to do an amazing job."

"I hope so."

I took her hand. "You will. Don't doubt yourself. I've seen your sketches. You're a wonderful artist."

"Yes, but my actual career choice was design, not art. I was worried they'd turn me down because of it. But I gave them my portfolio, and they loved it. I have to get certified to teach, but that's only a few classes, like on child development. Two of which I've already taken. It's not an actual degree, just a certification, so I'll be good to go by the time next school year starts," she said. "Oh, and I also have to take a CPR class, just in case."

My head perked up at this. "Really? Well that's convenient. The hospital offers the course."

"That's great! Hey, you could always give me extra lessons." She giggled.

"I think I can teach you a thing or two," I said with a smirk. "But I highly doubt it would be anything you could use on someone in distress."

She laughed. "Carlisle! You naughty boy."

"You asked."

She smirked and bit her lip. "That I did," she said as our dinner arrived.

We both ordered another glass of wine with dinner. While we ate, we just talked. She went on and on about how excited she was with getting the job. I loved seeing how happy she was. She deserved it. I was just so proud of her. Next she asked about me.

"Anything interesting going on at the hospital?"

"Nothing too interesting. I did have the funniest little boy as a patient yesterday, though. He needed stitches, but the entire time he just wanted to show me his toys. He couldn't have cared less that I was putting a needle in his leg."

"Aww, how cute. Are kids your favorite patients?"

"I definitely enjoy children. They make my job a little easier; they don't lie. When something hurts, they make sure you know."

"Yes, children tend to be vocal."

"But I don't like operating on them. It's my least favorite thing to have a child on my table."

"I'd imagine so. But I bet you take great care of them," she said, smiling. "You're an amazing doctor, and Forks is so lucky to have you. I'm so glad you didn't leave."

"I couldn't leave, Esme. Not after seeing you."

She stopped chewing, briefly, and then quickly swallowed. "What?"

"You are my reason for staying. My life is so much better with you in it."

"Carlisle," she whispered. "That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"I know you went through something horrible to get here, but I'm so glad you're here now. Even before I told you my feelings, you made every day better."

She was starting to tear up, so I took her hand. "You make every day better for me, too. After getting here, I wasn't sure I could do this. I wasn't sure I could ever begin to heal after Charles. But you were there. You'd come home and talk to me, and I could tell it wasn't just out of pity. You actually wanted to hear me talk, even about such mundane things. It didn't matter what I said; you still listened."

I smiled. "And I'll always listen. Everything you say is important to me."

"I love you, Carlisle. I don't care if it's too soon to say those words, because I do. I'm in love with you."

"You're everything to me, Esme. I love you more than anything in the world."

We continued eating, and ordered chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. While we waited, Esme spoke.

"So, Edward's getting married," she said.

"He is. He and Bella are perfect for each other."

"They really are. I'm so happy for them both."

"Me too. Now, even though they haven't set a date, I have to ask: will you go with me?"

She giggled. "Of course, silly."

"Great. I was nervous about that." I laughed.

"No, you weren't," she said. "You know I'd say yes to just about anything you ask."

"I'd hope so."

After leaving the restaurant, we went for a walk by the water. Esme started to shiver despite her wrap, so I quickly put my coat around her shoulders. She snuggled into my side and I kissed the top of her head. We didn't really speak. We didn't have to when we could just enjoy each other's company. I quickly realized, even with my coat, it was getting too cold for her. I was getting chilly as well, so we went back to the car and started our drive back to Forks.

"I had a great time," Esme told me as I walked her to the door.

"Me too. Thank you for coming," I said.

She smiled and turned to me, her hand still in mine. "That was the best first date I've ever had."

"Well, I'm glad. I wanted this to be perfect for you."

"It was."

She just looked so damn beautiful, I couldn't help myself. I pressed my hands against her cheeks and pulled her lips to mine. She wrapped her arms around my neck, and we just melted together.

She took a step back, and I pressed her against the door. There was so much more I wanted to do to her, but for now, this was enough. Her hands fisted in my hair, as mine lightly grazed her ass. She moaned in response, so I guessed what I was doing was okay. I brought one hand down her thigh, hitching her leg up. She broke the kiss and leaned her head against the wood. My lips went to her neck. I loved the feel of her heart beating away beneath my lips. I ran my tongue just under her jaw.

"Carlisle," she sighed.

"Too much?" I whispered against her neck.

I felt her shake her head. "No."

I kissed the spot, and she brought one hand to my cheek. She forced my face up, and this time, took my lips. She tasted so sweet. I would say it was the strawberries from desert, but she always tasted like that.

"What the _fuck _are you doing?" Edward yelled from behind us.

I whipped my head around to find him glaring daggers at us. His eyes were filled with a rage I couldn't begin to describe.

Fuck…

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><p><strong>AN: **Uh-oh? Yeah, I think that about sums it up.

So, I have a favor to ask. We're all of 18 reviews from 200 and making 200 in 16 chapters would just stun me! So if there's any way we could reach that, well… I'd just be thrilled! So please, if you have the time, a review would just make my day. You guys are just so awesome and the response for this story has just had me in awe.

Also, You Redeem Me, as well as my other two stories are up for an award at the Hopeless Romantic Awards. Thank you to whoever has nominated me! Voting starts July 18th, and nominations are still open till the 15th.

**Please Review…**


	17. 17th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing MelissaMargaret **and **HollettLA who beta'd this for me. They are both absolutely amazing! And I am in awe of their skills.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

I was frozen when I looked into my brother's eyes. He was furious, and with good reason. Carlisle and I had not been modest in the least. That was probably the furthest we had ever gone. He had never touched my behind before and, while I was a little nervous when he did it, I found I liked it very, very quickly. But now, here we were standing in front of one of the most important people in my life. And that person was pissed beyond words. In fact, his face was a shade of red I had never seen on him.

"Edward," I whispered.

He looked straight at Carlisle, ignoring me. "Get the hell off of my property."

"I'll call you," Carlisle told me, squeezing my hand before letting go.

I watched as he walked past Edward, who didn't take his eyes off Carlisle until he was in his car and pulling out. I didn't know what words were about to come out of Edward's mouth, but I knew they were going to hurt.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" He seethed.

"Edward, just let me-"

He cut me off. "Explain? What's to explain, Esme? How I just caught you about to fuck my best friend? Really, I thought you had more class than to give it up on the doorstep."

His words cut deep. I couldn't stop the tears if I wanted to, but he wasn't done. Now he was pacing.

"You know, I thought you were better than that, but apparently, I was wrong."

And with that, he walked past me and into the house. He left the door open, but I certainly didn't feel welcome. I sat down on the concrete front porch steps and sobbed. I didn't know how long I stayed like that until Edward came back out. It felt like hours, but was probably closer to minutes.

"Get in the house, Esme," he said. "We need to talk." I didn't move, so he spoke again. "Now, Esme."

"Don't even try to boss me around, _Edward_."

"You want to do this on the doorstep?" he asked. "Fine. What the hell is wrong with you, jumping into bed with Carlisle? That's got to be one of the stupidest things you've ever done!" he yelled. "Actually, no, the stupidest thing you've ever done was getting involved with Charles. Seems like your bad judgment just keeps coming."

I shot up and turned to him, royally pissed. "Go fuck yourself, Edward." I stalked past him and into the house. He followed close behind after slamming the front door.

"Tell me what the hell is going on!" he demanded. "I walk in on _that_, and you have nothing to say?"

"What do you want me to say? You've already made your assumptions. Why should I try to change them?"

"Because I want to know the fucking truth, okay? That's what I want."

"I love Carlisle!" I yelled. "I've loved him for a long time and now we're able to take baby steps to be together."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew what your reaction would be!"

"Stop yelling at me in my house."

I huffed. "But you can yell at me? Fine, Edward. I'm leaving."

As I turned away, he grabbed my arm. "Esme, don't you dare walk out of this house."

I shrugged his hand off. "Goodbye, Edward."

I grabbed my purse and ran out of the house. As I started my car, he came out of the front door. I pulled away without a second glance.

As I drove toward Bella's house, I couldn't stop crying. Edward's words hurt so much. I couldn't understand how he could say such things – how he could think such things like that about me. Edward was more than my big brother; he was my best friend. For him to think I'd jump into bed with Carlisle hurt. My heart literally broke the more I thought about the things he said.

It was late, so I didn't know if Bella would even be awake, but I needed her. All the small things she's done, like taking me to that session and talking to me about her own experiences, have helped so much. She knew about Carlisle and me, and I hoped she understood, unlike Edward.

The dim porch light was on, but the lights in the house were off. I was worried I'd wake her up, but she had told me time and time again she'd be there for me. I just hoped that offer still stood. I knocked on her door, tears still streaming down my face. She didn't come down, so I knocked again, even louder.

Suddenly, a light in the house flipped on, and I watched her run to the door through the glass. She swung the door open, and instantly pulled me into her arms.

"Esme, what's wrong?" Bella asked as I wrapped my arms around her neck, sobbing.

"Edward," I said.

"Oh, no," she said. "Come on, let's get inside. It's freezing out here."

She pulled me into the house by my hand. She flipped the living room light on, and told me to sit.

"Do you want something to drink? Water?" she asked.

"I don't care."

She sat down next to me, taking my hand once more. "Esme, what happened?"

I sobbed. "He knows."

"Edward knows?" she asked and I nodded. "I take it he didn't take the news very well."

I shook my head. "No, not at all."

"Did... did you tell him or..." She trailed off.

"Carlisle took me out tonight. It was our first real date, Bella. The evening had been so perfect. We were kissing goodnight, and that's when Edward got home," I said. "He was supposed to be at the hospital!"

"He has the stomach flu. He called me before he left because he was going to come here once he got off at midnight. But he was too sick, so he just wanted to go home and sleep," she told me.

"He wasn't supposed to find out like this. We were going to tell him, tell everyone."

"I'm so sorry, Esme. What did Edward say?"

"I've never seen him _so _angry. He yelled at Carlisle. He told him to get off of his property."

"And Carlisle just... left?"

I nodded, wiping my tears. "He said he'd call, but that was it. No goodnight, nothing. He turned away and left me there."

"Oh, Esme. I'm sure he was just trying to make the situation better by doing as Edward asked. He didn't want to make it worse by staying there when Edward was so angry," she said. "They've been friends for a long time. Carlisle knows Edward's temper. He didn't want to do anything that would just make Edward angrier."

"Trust me, Bella. Edward got angrier."

"I'm going to get you tissues and water."

She gave my hand a squeeze before standing up and walking away. I just sat there and cried. Tonight started off so perfect, and now it was ruined. My brother hated me, and Carlisle just _left_. I didn't know if anything would be okay again.

"I know Edward has a temper," Bella started as I dabbed my cheeks with the tissue. "But he just needs time to calm down."

"Why is he so angry?" I asked. "He has to know Carlisle would never hurt me. He has to understand that, right?"

"Esme, Edward loves you so much. And because of that, he worries about you. He's watched you get hurt, and he'd do anything to prevent that from happening again."

"He knows Carlisle would never hurt me."

"Deep down he does, but right now he's just seeing all the things that can go wrong."

"He thought... I was going to have sex with Carlisle tonight."

"Oh, well, that explains a lot about the anger."

"It's not his life! He doesn't get to dictate what I do."

"Esme, I understand what you're saying, but you have to understand Edward is just looking out for you."

"He said I have bad judgment. That I was stupid for getting involved with Charles. I mean... I know that was a horrible decision on my part, but how could he say that?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe he'd say that."

"He did, Bella. Maybe I do have bad judgment, but Carlisle is different."

"I know that, Esme. And so does he," she said. "He just needs time. I'm sure he wasn't expecting to come home to that."

"And that's an excuse?"

"No, but... he has to come to terms with this. He got angry; I don't agree with him doing that or the things he said, but it's all part of his process."

"I love Carlisle," I told her. "He's so good to me, and he would never hurt me."

"Of course he wouldn't. Edward will realize that. He just needs time."

I nodded. "I know, but I don't want him to hate me."

"Oh, Esme," she said pulling me into her arms. "He doesn't hate you, not at all. He's Edward, he's your brother; he could never hate you."

"But what about Carlisle? What if I ruined their friendship?"

She shook her head. "I doubt you could do that. They're men; they'll work it out on their own."

"Edward's stubborn."

"He is, but Carlisle's his best friend. In the end, I have no doubt they'll be fine. I think it'll take some getting used to, but Edward will understand."

"I hope so," I sighed.

"You can't fix it for them, though. When Edward's ready, he'll forgive Carlisle."

"Forgive? What's there to forgive?"

"Carlisle did go behind his back. I think if he had been honest from the beginning, Edward would have understood better."

"Maybe," I said.

"In the end, though, I think everything will work out. But it has to start with you and Edward. You need to talk to him."

I nodded. "I guess I should. I left pretty abruptly."

"You can stay here tonight if you'd like, but I think it might be better if you talked to Edward. You know how he gets when he stews."

"Thank you, Bella." I hugged her. "I'm glad we talked."

"Me, too. I'm here if you need me."

After a little while longer, I made my way out of her house and to my car. I started my car, but before driving off, I decided to open my purse and look at my phone. I had seventeen missed calls, and ten voicemails. Sixteen of the missed calls were from Edward, one was Carlisle. I decided to listen to Carlisle's single voicemail first, so I clicked his name on my phone screen.

_Esme, it's Carlisle. I don't know where you are, but I pray you're safe. Edward called me; he thought you were with me. He's not happy. I tried to explain, but he just hung up once he realized I was telling the truth that you weren't here. I just need to know you're safe, so if you could at least text me, I'd appreciate it. I love you, Esme._

His voice was sad. I felt horrible that he was left worrying about me because of Edward. I sent him a quick text saying I was going home, and that I'd call in the morning. Next, I played Edward's messages.

_Esme, come home right now!_

_I swear to God, Esme. Answer your goddamn phone!_

_Esme Ann Masen, where the hell are you?_

_Just call me, please?_

_Sissy, I'm sorry for blowing up. I just need you to come home so we can talk. Please, Es, I'm sorry._

_You're not at Carlisle's – a__ a__t least, that's what he says. I'm really worried about you. Please, sissy, come home._

I was starting to feel really bad about leaving Edward like that. That was until his next voicemail.

_What the fuck, Esme! I have a right to be angry. I came home to find you and Carlisle on my doorstep! The least you could do is pick up your Goddamn phone._

_Where are you? Just let me know you're safe. Damn it, Esme. I'm going crazy right now. Just let me know you're okay._

_You're at Bella's. She texted me. At least someone did. I hope you come home tonight, but if you don't, I understand. I'm sorry for how I acted, but I think you have a reason to apologize, too. I love you, sissy._

Why would I have reason to apologize? It wasn't as if I was cruel to him. Yes, I hid a relationship from him, but that was my choice. He doesn't need to know everything about my life. I was going to tell him; I just needed time.

When I pulled up to the house, I noticed the living room light was on. Edward was still up, still waiting for me. I guess I should have figured as much. His voicemails certainly didn't lead me to believe he'd just given up for the night. I was terrified of what he'd say, and even more terrified of what I'd say. I didn't want to hurt him, but he needed to understand this was my life, not his.

I walked slowly up to the house. The door was unlocked, so I just walked right in. Edward was sitting on the couch, phone in hand. His hair was even more of a mess than usual. He must have been running his hand through it in anger - his usual tick. His eyes met mine, and surprisingly, they softened.

"Esme," he sighed.

He was out of his seat and had me wrapped in his arms in seconds. He held me tightly for a good minute. Apparently, I did have him worried. I wrapped my arms around him as well. There was something safe about being in my brother's arms.

"You scared the hell out of me," he told me.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "Just like Bella said in her text, I went straight there."

He let me go and sat back down on the couch. I sat across from him, hands folded in my lap, ready for his anger to emerge. He just sighed and leaned back - running his hand through his hair once more. I wanted to smile and scold him about that habit, but I didn't.

"You didn't tell me about Carlisle. You should have," he started. "I think I deserve an apology from you for lying to me."

I raised my eyebrows. "I didn't lie to you. It wasn't any of your business."

He pinched his nose. "How the hell can you say that? I'm your brother; I deserve to know these things. Even if you didn't tell me, Carlisle should have."

"We decided to wait, both of us. So don't be mad at him. Edward, I needed to figure what was happening with us out on my own before telling anyone anything."

"How long has this been going on? Tell me the truth."

"Two weeks as of yesterday."

"Since Charles came back. What? Did his heroism make you swoon?" he scoffed.

I rolled my eyes. "That had nothing to do with it. I'd had feelings developing for a while. Strong feelings. But I hid them because I wasn't ready, and I doubted he felt the same."

"So, how did it happen? Just tell me, did he make the first move?"

I shook my head. "No, I did. I asked him to kiss me."

"And that bastard just willingly did so. Knowing you were vulnerable."

"Don't call him that."

"I really don't have a high opinion of him right now. You're lucky I'm not saying worse."

"Edward!" I scolded. "He's your best friend. You've known him for years. He's not a bad guy. Why can't you just be happy?"

"Happy?" he exclaimed. "You're asking me why I can't be happy my best friend is fucking my sister?"

"I'm not... we haven't... done that."

He rolled his eyes. "Right."

"You know what? If you can't just let me explain without your little comments, why are we even speaking? You've made up your mind. Who am I to change it?"

He huffed and sat up, resting his face in his hands. "I'm trying to understand, Esme. But what was I to think?" he asked, his voice calmer than I expected. "He had you against the fucking door."

"He was saying goodnight. Don't even try to tell me you've never said goodnight like that," I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"That's not the point. You're... you're so... you're not in the right mindset for this right now. You're still healing."

"And I can't be happy while doing so? Do you know how much support Carlisle has offered me? He's the only reason I even went to that meeting with Bella. The only reason I think I can heal. He knew before anyone. He sat there and supported me while I told you, while I spoke to Charlie. Without him, Edward, I don't know where I'd be." My voice was starting to break at the possibilities. "He's a _good _man."

"I should have been the first one. You should have been able to tell me, but you didn't." Tears clouded his green eyes. "You turned to Carlisle."

He was jealous... Underneath his anger, he was just upset that I had leaned on Carlisle instead of him.

"I wasn't ready to tell you. I didn't want you to think any less of me. Which now, I know you do. What you said tonight... it hurt. I know I was stupid. But you didn't have to tell me I was."

"Jesus, Esme." He looked up to me. "I didn't fucking mean that. I was angry!" His voice rose once more. "I had a right!"

"You had no right!" I yelled. "Your words hurt more than anything."

"And I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry!" he yelled.

His temper was starting to flare once more, but he took a deep breath, and once again pinched his nose. I didn't speak. I let him compose himself. I didn't want this to end badly, and if I spoke in that moment, it would have. We'd both yell, and I'd likely storm off again.

"I shouldn't have had to find out like that. Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Of course I was. We had spoken about that tonight, actually. We just hadn't decided when. But, Edward, you were going to be the first to know."

"How am I supposed to feel about this? I don't want you to get hurt. That's where my anger comes from, sissy." He smiled at the nickname. "I just want to protect you from ever getting hurt again."

I stood up and walked over to him, sitting beside him. I placed my hand on his back and leaned my head against his shoulder. "You can't protect me, Eddie," I said. "I have to make my own decisions, and in the end, suffer the consequences."

"I don't want you to suffer anymore." His voice broke. "You've been through enough, and if Carlisle hurts you... I'll kill him." He lifted his head to reveal a small smirk playing on his lips. "Can I be the big brother and say that? Or is it too mean?"

I laughed softly. "I wouldn't expect any less from you."

He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and squeezed me into his side. "I'm really sorry for what I said earlier. I let my anger get the best of me, and you didn't deserve it."

Tears filled my eyes. "That really hurt."

"You're not stupid. And... that was so wrong of me to say you had bad judgment. I was cruel. And I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I can. Do you forgive me for not telling you right away, even though I honestly don't think I need to apologize?"

"You don't need to apologize. I wish you had told me, but two weeks isn't _that_ long. I understand you needed the time to figure it out. So no, I don't forgive you, because like you said, you have nothing to apologize for."

"You're not still mad at Carlisle, are you?"

"I'm pissed at him, and you can't fix that. I don't know when or if I can forgive him for this. You're still my sister. And you were off-limits."

I rolled my eyes. "That's not really your decision."

"He was my best friend, sissy. I trusted him."

"He's still your best friend. And you can trust him. Nothing has changed between you two."

He looked into my eyes, stone cold serious. "Everything has changed between us. We can't be the same as we have been. And like I said, you can't fix it, so don't try."

That hurt. My biggest fear, besides losing my brother, was Carlisle losing his best friend. I just prayed they could fix it. Edward deserved a good friend like Carlisle. He was his first close friend, and I may have ruined that for them.

Edward and I didn't spend much longer talking. It was after three in the morning by the time we went to bed, and I was tired. I was so thankful the next day was Saturday. I slept in until almost ten, and then woke up and took a shower. When I walked into the kitchen, I found Edward starting a pot of coffee. He didn't look well at all. And I quickly remembered the only reason he found out last night was because he had come home sick.

"You should get back in bed," I told him.

"I'm fine," he said. "I haven't been sick in a few hours."

"Still, I don't think coffee is the best of ideas."

He sighed and moved to the kitchen table. "You're probably right and I think I might go back to bed. Bella might be coming over later, so if I'm asleep, just tell her to come to my room."

"How about some water first?" I asked, pulling a bottle from the fridge.

I handed it to him and he took a sip. "Fluids. Good idea, sissy." He smirked.

I smiled as I turned back to the now done coffee pot. "Go to bed."

He stood up, kissed my cheek, and left. I sat down at the table after making a piece of toast. I sipped my coffee and nibbled as I read the paper that Edward had on the table. Nothing exciting was in the news; then again, it was Forks.

After a while, I decided it was time to call Carlisle. I dialed his number, and waited for him to answer. It took a few rings, but he eventually did. He sounded out of breath.

"Esme," he panted.

"Hi, Carlisle."

"How are you? Did you get home safe?"

"Yes, and I talked to Edward. He doesn't hate me anymore."

"He never hated you. Me, on the other hand, he's not speaking to."

"You called him?"

"I tried, but he ignored the call. It rang once. I guess I'm not surprised."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle. This is all my fault." A tear fell down my cheek and I wiped it away.

"No, it's not, beautiful. Edward will forgive me; it'll just take time. Don't worry about that, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay. What are you doing?"

"I was on the treadmill, but you called. And I'd much rather speak to you. I love you, Esme."

"I love you too. Do you have to work today?"

"Tonight. I go in at seven in the evening and I'm working a double, so I won't get off until seven tomorrow night."

"Oh," I sighed. "Is there any way I can see you before you have to work?"

He laughed. "Such a silly question. Do you want to come over? I highly doubt it'd be a good idea if I went there."

"I'm leaving in ten minutes." I smiled, though he couldn't see me. "I love you, Carlisle. We'll get this all worked out, right? You and Edward… you'll be fine once you talk."

"Yes, Esme. Don't worry about us. I love you too. Hurry here, because I miss you and I believe we weren't quite finished last night." He chuckled.

"Not even close."

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><p><strong>AN: **Thank you so much for all the reviews last chapter! They mean the world to me.

In other news, Carlisle from You Redeem Me is up for best adapted character at the Hopeless Romantic Awards! Also, my other stories have some nominations. If you Google Hopeless Romantic Awards it should take you to the site where you can vote. Thanks to whoever nominated me!

I have to say, my betas were pretty fast on this one. Literally, not even hours it took them both to get it back to me. So another big thanks to them! Also, a special thanks to HolletLA who helped me write just about all of this chapter in Writers Boot Camp hosted by Emergency Beta Services. Boot Camp… is AMAZING! If you're a writer, I recommend checking it out.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Reviewers get a teaser for the next chapter.

**Please Review…**


	18. 18th Chapter

**A/N: **If you received a teaser, there is a possibility it is wrong. I decided to rewrite it and change the timeframe. Sorry.

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and **MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me. They are both absolutely amazing!

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><span>Carlisle's POV<span>

As we laid on the couch late one afternoon, everything was so peaceful. Esme was on top of me, her head bobbing up and down with my breathing as the old movie played on the television. She sighed contently, and I looked down at her as she looked up. She smiled and I couldn't stop myself. I kissed the tip of her nose, making her giggle.

"Good day at work?" she asked.

"Very good day. I was in surgery all day." She looked up at me, eyebrows raised. "All routine, and all came through with zero complications. Hence the very good day."

She smiled. "I'd say that is a very good day. Congratulations, Dr. Cullen."

I pecked her lips softly. "Thank you, beautiful. So, how was your day?"

"Good. I filed paperwork." She laughed. "So very exciting."

"Sounds like it."

She laid her head back down against my chest. "I can't wait until I actually get to teach kids."

"I know you can't. Soon, love."

"A year, Carlisle. Is it wrong of me to wish Mrs. Patrick would retire early, so I could take her job?"

I laughed. "In a way, yes, that sounds a little wrong. But you only have good intentions for wanting that, so I think it's all right."

We continued on with our mundane conversation, but I couldn't have been happier. Just having Esme with me was a dream come true. It had been a little over a month since Edward found out. He still wasn't speaking to me. Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and Esme was heartbroken. She was so worried she'd have to choose between Edward and me. I tried telling her to spend it with Edward, but it was our first holiday, and she wanted everyone to be together.

Spending Thanksgiving with someone who clearly despised me at the moment sounded just wonderful. I was positive it'd all go smoothly. Not. Still, I'd do anything for Esme, and that was what she wanted.

I just so happened to be scheduled to work a double on Thanksgiving. I was getting a lot of those lately. Edward's doing, I was sure. Luckily, another doctor offered to take my second shift and even come in early, so I would be able to leave at three, which was just in time for Thanksgiving dinner at Esme's house.

I pulled up to find Esme's driveway crowded. Edward and Bella had arrived separately, and Rose and Emmett's car was behind Edward's. Charlie's cruiser was behind Bella's truck, so I just parked on the street. After getting off work, I had made a quick stop at my house to change into something nicer than scrubs. Thanksgiving was considered a formal occasion, right? I hadn't been to many nice dinners on the holiday – instead, choosing to work – so I went with what I figured would be appropriate attire. I also stopped for a bouquet of roses – white ones this time. I found out quite quickly that Forks' only floral shop didn't have the greatest selection. I was getting repetitive with my choices, but Esme never seemed to mind. She told me the roses were her favorite, so I decided to stick with those when in doubt.

Once I got to the door, I decided I'd knock for a change. I had my own key – Esme's doing after Edward changed the locks. He was bitter. But I decided since Edward was here, knocking would be the best idea. Thankfully, Esme opened the door.

She looked beautiful. She wore a simple red dress with her cherry themed apron over it. She must have still been cooking. She smiled so big when her eyes met mine.

"You look gorgeous," I told her, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "These are for you." I handed her the bouquet, and she grinned.

"Thank you," she said, blushing lightly. "They're beautiful. You look so handsome. I thought you were coming straight from work?"

"I decided to make a quick stop to change. I hope I'm not too late."

"Not at all. Rose and Emmett just arrived with Andy. He's doing so great," she said as she led me into the house.

"I saw him a few days ago when he came in for his check-up. He is doing great," I agreed.

Andy had just been sent home from the hospital a little over a week ago, and two days ago he'd had an appointment with his pediatrician. Rose and Emmett brought him down to the ER to see Edward and me. He was a little over two months old now. I found out quickly he was a very happy, and surprisingly healthy, little boy.

"Carlisle," Rose said, smiling as she held baby Andy in her arms as she sat at the kitchen table.

"Happy Thanksgiving," I said. "How's the little man doing?"

She kissed his forehead and lifted him up to me. "He's great. Hold him."

I took the child in my arms. He immediately started crying. "I think he wants his mom," I quickly said, passing him back.

"He's been doing that since we got here," Emmett said, "so don't take it personally. Even Es wasn't allowed to hold him."

"He's a momma's boy," Esme said from the sink where she was filling a vase up with water.

"Nah," Emmett said. "He'll let Daddy take him. Besides, football's on. Little man needs some daddy time so we can watch."

Rose passed Andy to his father, who took him out of the kitchen. Andy didn't make a sound. I walked behind the counter with Esme to help her with dinner. It looked like she was just finishing some things.

"What can I do?" I asked, washing my hands.

"There's really not much to do," Esme told me. "Bella's been here since this morning helping me cook. All that's left is to get the turkey out of the oven, but I need to check the temperature first."

She pulled on an oven mitten, and opened the oven door. Once the rack was pulled out and she removed the foil, my eyes almost bulged at the size of the thing. It looked like it could feed twenty people. She stuck the thermometer in it, and waited until the temperature had stopped rising.

"It's done!" she announced joyfully. "Carlisle, would you get it out for me? It's pretty heavy." She laughed. "I just couldn't resist getting a nice big one. Leftovers for everyone!"

After handing me two mittens, I lifted the damn thing. "Holy hell. What does this thing weigh?"

"Twenty-two pounds," Esme said, smirking. I looked at her incredulously. "What?" she asked. "I wanted a big one."

I set it on the hot pads she had on the counter. "I think you achieved that, darling."

Rose laughed. "I tried telling her that. She actually asked if she should have gotten a bigger one!"

"I've never made a nice big Thanksgiving dinner. I wanted to make sure there was enough for everyone to take some home. Turkey sandwiches are great after Thanksgiving," Esme said. "Carlisle will be having many in his lunch for a while." She smirked and kissed my cheek.

"So things are going well with you two?" Rose asked, eyeing us with a smile.

"All things considered, amazing," Esme said.

"That's great. I'm really happy for you two."

"That seems to be the general consensus. Not unanimous, though," I said.

I knew Edward was in the living room with Charlie and Emmett. Neither he nor Charlie had come to greet me. Edward wasn't surprising, and truthfully, Charlie wasn't either. He wasn't the type to get involved. Besides, a game was on TV. I hadn't expected him to leave the couch until dinner was ready anyway.

While we waited for the turkey to cool, I helped Esme finish everything up. Rose was just enjoying watching us, and the fact that she didn't have an infant in her arms. She had her feet up on another chair and her one arm on the table with her head in her hand. She just smiled and laughed.

"Where's Bella?" I asked.

"With Edward," Esme said. "She's just trying to keep him… occupied for us. This dinner has to go smoothly. I swear, Carlisle, if he says anything…" She trailed off.

I rubbed her arms as tears filled her eyes. "Don't worry about that, beautiful. Please don't cry."

She nodded. "I'm trying not to worry," she said as a tear slipped from her eye.

I wiped it away and kissed where it had fallen. She looked up to me, smiling. I dipped my head and took her lips. I could feel the smile that still played on them. She pulled away, and then quickly pecked my lips once more.

"No more tears," I told her.

"No more tears," she agreed. "And now, dinner is ready!"

Rose and I helped Esme set the table. Once the food was all set, Esme told everyone to come in and eat. Edward walked through the door last. His eyes landed on me, and his expression became hard. I wanted to roll my eyes and call him childish, but I didn't. I kept my mouth shut, smiled, and sat down next to the love of my life.

"Who wants to carve the turkey?" Esme asked. "Carlisle?"

"Like hell," Edward mumbled.

"Charlie?" Esme asked.

"Sure, sweetheart," Charlie said, standing up and taking the carving knife from her.

"This just looks…" Emmett shook his head with a grin as he stared at the food as Charlie finished with carving. "Esme, I love you." He laughed loudly.

"Thanks, Em," Rose said, putting Andy in the bouncer.

"Aw, babe, you know I don't love her like I do you. It's a different love. A stomach love." He laughed.

"And my food isn't good enough?" Rose asked.

Everyone chuckled under their breath. Emmett had himself in deep. He didn't know how to respond. In fact, he decided it'd be best to just say grace so he could dig in. We went about dinner with idle conversation. That was until Esme decided to try something she'd seen on television and in movies.

"I think we should all say what we're thankful for," she said, smiling.

"I think that's a great idea," Bella said.

"Me too," Rose chimed in.

"Okay, who wants to go first?" Esme asked.

"I will," Emmett spoke up. "I'm thankful for my son and my amazing wife. This year has been very good to us. We had some downs, yes, but we're all here, alive and well."

"I'm thankful for my son as well," Rose said. "And my oaf of a husband." She giggled. "Last but not least, my friends. You've all helped so much." She looked to me. "I can't begin to express my gratitude, but for now, thank you will have to do."

It was now my turn. I had many things to be thankful for, but one in particular. "I'm thankful for Esme. I'm thankful she's safe, and no one can hurt her anymore. I've never felt so lucky. To be in her presence day after day, it's a dream come true. I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled. "I have so much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for my brother." She smiled at Edward, who smiled back. "And for my all my friends. You've all been so amazing. I'm also thankful for Carlisle. I couldn't have imagined a better life for myself than what I'm living right now. I have everything that I never thought I'd have."

Charlie was next, and then Bella. When it came to Edward, his eyes were glued to Esme. He didn't have to speak the words. Everyone knew what he was most thankful for.

"I'm thankful for my amazing fiancée. She puts up with all my shit." He laughed. "And she puts me in my place when I need it. But what I'm most thankful for is that my sister is alive and here with me." I watched as Esme smiled. "I love you."

"I love you too," she said.

The rest of the meal went pretty well. Edward didn't look like he was going to leap over the table and stab me with his knife, so that felt pretty good. We all had a few laughs – mostly at Emmett's expense. I loved watching Esme laugh. It was a beautiful sight.

After dinner, I volunteered to do dishes. Esme cooked, so it wasn't fair she'd have to do them. Of course, not to be outdone, Edward said he would. He also said he could do them alone. But Esme wasn't having that. She forcefully said since we had both volunteered, we both would do them. Plus, it'd take less time. Her words, of course.

I cleared whatever was left on the plates into the trashcan and set them on the counter next to Edward. He picked each up, washed it off, and put it in the dishwasher. All was going well until it came to the things that Esme didn't want put in the machine.

"I'll wash, you dry?" I asked.

He looked at me, rolled his eyes, and shrugged. I took his place in front of the sink as he moved aside. He leaned against the counter and waited as I washed the dish meticulously.

"Really?" he asked. "You can't go any faster?"

"I can, but there would still be shit on it," I replied with a harsh tone. "You know, we're going to have to do this again in a month."

"I won't volunteer next time, so no, we won't."

"We'll have to be pleasant."

"I have a month to prepare."

"Edward, I'm sorry." I turned my face to him. "I didn't mean to fall in love with her. I didn't mean for her to fall in love with me, but it happened. I can't take it back, and truthfully, I wouldn't even if I could. She makes me happy, and I make her happy. I understand you're pissed we went behind your back, but you're going to have to let it go." He tried to interrupt me, but I kept going. "Not for me, but for her. Do you not see her smile now? It's brighter than ever before. I treat her like a goddess; like she deserves to be treated. I do everything in my power to make her happy, and right now, she is. I understand you can't be happy for me; I'm not asking you to. But can't you be happy for her?"

He looked pissed, and I expected a bitter retort, but that wasn't what came. "I am happy for her," he whispered as his expression softened. "I'm just trying to deal with losing her. I haven't had her back for even a year, and you're taking her from me."

"I'm not-"

He stopped me. "But you are. I had a feeling, you know? But I didn't think you'd do that."

"I didn't try to hurt you."

"Of course you didn't. I know you didn't mean to purposely hurt me. And if I were acting like a fucking adult, I wouldn't be this pissy." I couldn't believe he was actually admitting he was wrong. "But I am pissed. And I think I have some right. Maybe not as much as I'm taking but, Carlisle, she's my sister."

"Maybe I should have talked to you, but that wouldn't have changed anything."

"I wouldn't have found you on my doorstep, thinking you were about to… I know you didn't and you weren't going to, but that was the first thought that entered my mind."

"I would never disrespect her like that. You should know me better than that."

"See? I thought I did, and then you go falling in love with my sister. My sister, Carlisle. You couldn't have picked someone else?"

I chuckled lightly. "No, Edward, I couldn't have, because I didn't pick."

He nodded. "In some part of my mind, I know that. You two… are good for each other, I guess. Things are just so fucking complicated now."

"They don't have to be. The only thing that has changed is Esme and I are both exceptionally happy. Honestly, Edward, I've never been happier in my life."

"Yeah, you got a stupid fucking skip in your step. It's getting pretty annoying, by the way."

I laughed. "I apologize. I'll keep my skipping to a minimum for now on."

"Please."

"So… I know we're not… back to normal, but can we at least talk sometimes?"

"I'll stop ignoring you and thinking of ways to kill you with what's in the drug lockup in the ER."

"That would be nice."

He smirked. "But if you hurt her, I do have a plan. And Charlie would probably let me slide. I'm going to be his son-in-law."

"I'm never going to hurt her."

"You will. Not bad enough for me to put my plan into action, but you'll piss her off. She'll come to me, you know? I'm still her big brother."

"And if I do, I'd hope you'd knock some sense into me. Because the last thing I want is to hurt her."

The door suddenly pushed open, revealing Esme. She put her hand over her heart. "There was no one yelling, so for a second there, I thought you two had killed each other."

I laughed, and so did Edward. "No, sissy. No one is dead or dying tonight."

She eyed us skeptically. "Why do I feel like I'm missing something?"

I handed Edward the last dish and wiped my hands off. "Things are just getting back to normal. That's all," I said.

She grinned. "Really?"

Edward nodded. "Not normal, but better."

She ran around the counter, and suddenly her feet were out from under her. My heart almost skipped a beat when she hit the small puddle on the floor. Thankfully, Edward caught her.

"Jesus, sissy! Walk much?" He laughed.

"Don't get dishwater on my floor and we'd have been fine." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you, Edward." She squeezed him so tightly I swore it looked like he might have been turning blue.

After the dishes were done, we all sat in the living room. Charlie left first, and then Emmett and Rose. Esme, Bella, Edward, and I were left playing Monopoly. Edward and Esme used to play it when she was younger, and she wanted to again. Edward was killing us all. It seemed I couldn't stop landing on Boardwalk, which he happened to own, along with Park Place. The moment he put hotels on them, I knew I was done for. Esme and Bella seemed to just skirt right over them.

What I thought was going to be an evening from hell, turned out the opposite. Sure, Edward and I weren't back to normal. We probably never would be, but we were talking – laughing even. It made Esme happy, and it felt good to have my friend back, even if it was going to take time to be remotely normal. Our friendship had changed permanently, but maybe it was for the better. We weren't in college anymore. He was getting married, and I was now in a serious relationship with the woman I hoped to spend the rest of my life with.

A few weeks passed. Esme and I couldn't have been happier. We'd have dinner at Bella's house once a week, and another night they'd come to Esme's. Edward and I went back to normal at work. When neither Esme nor Bella came by for lunch, we'd go to Subway. It was exactly a week before Christmas when I got off work late and went straight to Esme's. I didn't bother knocking, I just used my key.

I found Esme in the kitchen, sitting at the table. She had her cell phone on the table – staring at it with a blank expression on her face. I knew something was wrong in that instant. I jogged over to her, kneeled down beside her, and took her hand.

"Esme?" I asked. "Beautiful? What's wrong?"

She blinked a few times. "It's Charles," she whispered.

Terror coursed through my body. He got off. Why else would she be so upset? "What about him?"

Her soft voice was barely a whisper. "He's… he's dead."

I was shocked. He had been healing just fine from what I'd heard – which wasn't a lot. He was in prison in Seattle, still recovering in the infirmary. "How?" I whispered.

"Infection."

"Brain?"

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I guess it started simple, and then he just never got better. He died yesterday. The DA called me a while ago. She said I wasn't needed to testify, and I never had to worry about it again. He's… dead, Carlisle."

"A while? How long have you been sitting here, Esme?" It was almost nine in the evening.

"Um…" She looked at her phone. "She called at seven-eighteen."

"You've been here for two hours? Why didn't you call me?"

I felt horrible. She had been sitting – having God knows what running through her mind – for two hours. I imagined she hadn't moved an inch in that time.

"I… I didn't realize how much time had passed."

I wasn't sure what to make of her emotions. She was sad… I thought. But I didn't understand why. "Are you upset?"

Tears filled her eyes. "I don't know," she cried.

I pulled her into my arms as I stayed kneeling. She rested her head on my shoulder, and cried her heart out. I didn't understand why she was so upset. I'd have thought she'd been relieved. Charles could never hurt her again. She wouldn't have to testify in court. She had feared that so much. So why was she crying?

"Esme, sweetheart, I need you to talk to me. I don't… understand," I told her as her sobs let up.

"I… I don't either," she cried. "I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm so confused. I should be happy, shouldn't I?"

I stood up, pulled another chair out, and sat down next to her. I kept her hand in mine as she wiped her tears with her free one. "Charles wasn't a good person. He hurt you, but I'm not saying you should be happy. I'd have thought you'd be relieved, though."

"I am. I'm relieved that there won't be a trial and he can't hurt anyone else. But I'm not happy he's dead. I know I should be after what he did, but I can't be. Does that make any sense?"

"Yes," I said. "I wouldn't celebrate his death either. I don't think it's right to do so. He was a horrible man and I do believe the world is better without him in it, though."

"It is. I'm glad he can't hurt anyone else, because one day he would have gotten out, and he might have. I'm not sure if prison would have really made him stop. It might have just made him worse."

I nodded. "It may have."

"While I'm not happy, I am relieved, Carlisle. I feel like a weight has been lifted."

"Is that possibly why you cried?"

"Partly. I was just so shocked by that phone call. My emotions were all over the place; they still are."

"Of course they are. If you need to cry, then there is nothing wrong with that. You deal with this how you need to. There isn't a right or wrong way," I told her. "I love you."

Her lips curved into a small smile. "I love you too. Can we go into the bedroom? I just want to crawl into bed and spend the rest of the night safe in your arms. Please?"

I stood up and held my hand out. "Of course."

I laid down on her bed with her basically on top of me. She had her right arm wrapped securely around my torso – even gripping my shirt tightly. I kept my arm around her, holding her close like she wanted. We laid there in silence for the most part. A few tears slipped onto her cheeks, and I wiped them away. I kissed her temple from time to time and murmured I loved her.

"Part of me feels like he'll never pay for what he did," she said out of the blue.

"Esme, I firmly believe there is a heaven and a hell. Charles is in hell. He'll pay for what he did for all eternity."

"I don't want to sound vindictive, but I hope so."

"That's not vindictive, beautiful."

"I'm not upset he's dead. I don't know exactly why I've been crying, but the tears aren't for him. I've been trying to put what he did to me behind me, but that call… it all just came back. That's what was going through my mind as I sat there tonight."

I realized she had most likely retreated into her mind and possibly had a flashback. The shock of his death shook her to her core.

"I'm sure it did. You need to see this as closure, Esme. That chapter of your life is over now for good."

"And we can begin our chapter," she said, lifting her head up to look at me. "And it'll be amazing."

"It already is."

**Please Review… **


	19. 19th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and** MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

We had fallen asleep together — he held me all night. We had never slept in the same bed together all night before. He'd always leave to go to his house. I know it wasn't right to be happy that he stayed, because of the reason he had done so, but I was. I was so happy just being in his arms and waking up to his smiling face.

"Good morning," I said, yawning.

"Good morning, beautiful."

I rested my head against his chest. "I love when you call me that. It feels so wonderful."

He rubbed my back softly. "Well, I'm only speaking the truth. You're beautiful. I love you."

"I love you too," I said. "We should probably get up, shouldn't we?"

He looked at his watch. "I do have to be at work in an hour."

I sighed. "I don't. Yesterday was my last day before the holiday break."

"You deserve a little time off. What do you plan to do with your days off?"

"Rose, Bella, and I are planning to go shopping one day. I really don't have much planned."

"I have Christmas and the day after off. Why don't we do something? Another date?"

I looked up and smiled. "I'd love that. What about New Year's?"

He shook his head. "They need me to work. I'm working a double starting at eight in the morning New Year's Eve."

"Oh," I sighed. "No midnight kiss."

"No, but I'll call you. I promise."

I lifted my head to kiss his lips. "You better. Now, get up. I need a shower."

I pushed myself up using his chest. He pulled me back down and took my lips again — kissing me deeply, passionately. He finally let me go after a few moments, so I could hop into the shower. This morning I had an appointment with Carmen, but not until ten-thirty, so I wasn't really in a rush.

I felt so refreshed, and it wasn't because of the shower. I haven't slept so well in… Gosh, probably years. Being in Carlisle's arms, I just felt safe. He held me all night. I woke up once and found him sleeping peacefully. His arm was wrapped securely around me as I rested most of my body on top of his. I couldn't believe he wasn't uncomfortable, though, I think even if he were, he wouldn't have told me.

I made an easy breakfast — eggs and toast — and then Carlisle headed out first. But not before a few goodbye kisses and telling me he loved me. I watched him leave in the same clothes he arrived in yesterday. I felt a little bad I had basically forced him to stay with me, but I needed him, and he really didn't seem to mind.

My appointment with Carmen was… hard. We discussed Charles and his death. She asked me about my feelings about it. Like I told Carlisle, I wasn't happy Charles had died, but I was relieved. My biggest fear was Charles coming back after getting out of prison. I honestly didn't believe he was the type of man who'd let something like that go. And even if he did let it go, I didn't think he'd stop. He might have started hurting someone else someday, and that woman would have been just as innocent as I was. No one deserved that, so because of that, I was relieved he had died. He can never hurt anyone else.

After I left Carmen's office, I drove around Port Angeles. I was ashamed to say I hadn't quite finished my Christmas shopping. As I walked through downtown, I admired all the decorations and everyone's actions. People were cheerful. Christmas had always been my favorite time of the year. Even as a child, I loved it. It wasn't because of the presents like most children. No, it was because of the season itself. People were happier. Things just felt… good. I grew up in New York City – Manhattan, to be exact. It wasn't a place known for the kindness of strangers, but there was something about the season that tended to put a smile on stranger's faces for no reason. Someone you'd never met would hold the door open for you. That was why I loved Christmas.

I was happy to say I had actually finished shopping by the time I left the town and headed home. It was one more thing to cross off my list. Next up was Christmas dinner. Unlike Thanksgiving, Rose and Emmett were not going to be able to attend. Over Thanksgiving, Rose's parents had been out of state; her brother, Jasper, had a little girl and they needed to be there. For Christmas however, her parents would be in town, so they planned to celebrate with them. That left just Edward, Bella, Charlie, Carlisle, and I, so I wasn't going to go as extravagant as I did for Thanksgiving. I planned a nice-size ham — not huge like that turkey was — and some of the usual fixings. I had gone to the store a few days ago, so my list was mostly completed. I had one more thing I needed to do, though. And that thing wasn't on any list.

I had to talk to Edward. I knew he was working today, so instead of going home, I went to the hospital. I was positive he'd shed no tears over Charles' death; in fact, he'd probably get on a table and start dancing. I didn't want that. This wasn't something to celebrate.

I walked into the ER and was instantly greeted by the older receptionist. She smiled kindly, almost sadly. She wasn't her usual cheerful self as I arrived at the counter.

"Oh, dear, has Dr. Cullen not called you?" she asked.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, confused. "Why would Carlisle need to call me?"

"Oh! You… you're not here to see Dr. Cullen, are you?"

"No… I'm actually here to see my brother. Why? What's going on with Carlisle?"

She shook her head and looked around. "He's not here. He's been suspended, dear." The old woman was acting like this was some type of juicy gossip.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"It's such a shame, but I—"

She was interrupted by Edward. "Mrs. Hanson, I don't believe gossiping was in your job description, was it?"

The woman ducked her head. "No, excuse me, Dr. Masen." She hurried away from the desk as if she were about to cry.

If Edward were a cartoon character, he'd be blood red in the face with steam coming from his ears. He wasn't happy; in fact, his expression rivaled the one he'd had when he found out about Carlisle and me.

"Carlisle was suspended?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Come with me," he said, putting his hand out. I walked close and he laid his hand on my back to guide me through the halls.

Confusion wasn't a strong enough word to describe what I was feeling. Carlisle, of all people, had been suspended. What did he do? Where is he now? Why hadn't he called me?

Edward led me into a small room and shut the door behind us. He motioned for me to take a seat, and I did. He sat down in front of me and sighed — pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Charles is dead," he said.

"How… how did you know that?"

"Carlisle told me, after the board pulled him upstairs and suspended him."

"Why… how… I don't understand. What did he do to be suspended?"

"He killed Charles. Well, that's how they see it. Because Charles died from an infection that he probably wouldn't have died from if Carlisle hadn't beaten him, they think he could be at fault. Until the investigation is over, Carlisle can't work in the hospital." I must have looked horrified, because he quickly continued. "He's not going to be charged or held accountable, Esme. This is all just bullshit. The police have to investigate in case some family comes forward. They're covering their asses, and so is the hospital. There really is no reason Carlisle can't work, but they don't want to take the risk that something happens and during that time Carlisle was being investigated in someone's death."

"Oh, poor Carlisle," I murmured.

"Yeah, he's not taking it too well."

"Where is he? Why didn't he call me?"

"I thought he had. He said he was going to your house. I assumed he'd call you to let you know."

I shook my head and pulled my cell phone out. No missed calls, no missed texts, nothing. I quickly dialed Carlisle's number and it just rang until his voicemail picked up. Next I called his house — no answer. I even tried my house phone, and nothing.

"When did he leave here?"

"About an hour ago."

I stood up. "I have to find him," I said, wiping my own tears.

I knew Carlisle; I knew exactly how he'd react to something like this. He'd put the blame on himself. It'd tear him apart inside. He felt so guilty for hurting Charles. I should have realized the guilt he'd feel with Charles dying. I didn't even think about him. I didn't even think this could go back on him. I was so stupid to not have seen this coming! Charles may be dead, but he was still messing with my life and happiness.

"When you find him, call me," Edward said.

I pulled him into a hug. "I will. God, I hope everything works out. Carlisle doesn't deserve this."

As I drove down the main street in town, I passed a church. Normally it wouldn't have caught my eye, but the sleek black Mercedes had me look twice. That car was so conspicuous. Everyone in town most likely knew who it belonged to. Carlisle was in that church. That thought had me concerned. I quickly turned around and pulled in next to his car. There were a few other cars, but for the most part the lot was empty.

I walked toward the door, having no idea if I was supposed to knock or if someone would be right inside. I had only been in churches for weddings. When your parents could care less about God, you didn't enter a church very often.

I found the door to be unlocked; no one was waiting just inside. Straight ahead was a set of doors that were wide open. Inside the doors was what I assumed to be the area people actually worshipped in. I didn't know the name. I walked through the doors and saw three people sitting on the pews. Two of the people were closer to the front, and they obviously were not Carlisle. No, Carlisle sat near the back. His head was ducked, and his hands pressed together against his face.

I walked through the aisle and sat down beside him. I didn't speak, since I knew he was currently praying. He didn't even acknowledge me for a few minutes. When he dropped his hand and sat back, I noticed his face. He wasn't crying; no, he just looked _broken_.

"I killed him, Esme," he whispered.

I shook my head, but he wasn't even looking. "No, you didn't, Carlisle."

He turned his face to me. "My actions caused his death. I beat him to a bloody pulp, and didn't even stop then. I lost control and, in turn, killed a man. I took a life."

"You protected me."

"I could have subdued him. I didn't need to do what I did. I did that in anger — for revenge."

"You did it for me."

He shook his head. "No, I did it because I was angry. He hurt you so badly, and he didn't get to get away with it." Tears were now filling his eyes. "I didn't want him to get away with it, so I intentionally kept going. I could have stopped once he passed out, but I didn't."

"You did stop, though."

"Only when you wrapped your arms around me. Otherwise, I would have kept going. I wanted to keep going."

"Carlisle, you didn't kill him. He was healing just fine. He died from an infection, which you couldn't prevent."

"He only died from the infection because I had hurt him so badly. It all goes back to me. My actions caused his death."

"But you were only saving me. Doesn't that mean anything?"

"It's the only reason I can live with myself; but Esme, you need to get away from me. I'm just like my father. Actually, I'm worse."

"Carlisle Cullen!" I hissed. "Don't you ever say that. You are not your father! You are a good-hearted, compassionate, wonderful man. You're a doctor. You heal people."

"I probably won't be much longer. If I'm found responsible, I'll be charged, and the medical board will take my license away."

"You won't be found responsible. You were protecting me and yourself. Charles could have killed us if you didn't act. He broke into our home. It was self-defense."

"But, Esme, I took it further than that. I should have stopped and maybe he wouldn't be dead."

"Maybe, but do you know how many woman you may have saved? I really don't believe prison would have changed him. What if once he got out, he did it again? What if he actually killed that woman?"

"What if he came back for you?" he whispered.

"Exactly. You saved me. Please, Carlisle, don't blame yourself. Don't feel guilty."

"How can I not? I took a life."

"I'm not going to argue with you about that. Even if that's what you believe, remember you also saved mine."

"Your life means more than his," he sighed. "I'd do it again for you. I just wish I had stopped, so I didn't feel this way."

"We can't go back, Carlisle. We have to move forward, and I'd like to do that together. Please, don't leave me."

He pulled me into his arms. "I'll only leave if you ask me to. You're my life, and I love you more than anything in the world."

"Let's go home."

He nodded. "You go first. I just need a little longer." I looked at him with sad eyes. "I'll be there. I just… need a little longer. I promise, Esme, I'll be there."

"Okay, please, just come home to me."

He nodded as I stood. "I always will."

"Don't be too hard on yourself, either."

He smiled sadly. "I'm not sure I could be too hard on myself after what I've done."

I ran my hand through hair as he hugged me around the waist. I leaned down to kiss the top of his head once more. "I love you, Carlisle."

"I love you too, Esme."

I didn't want to leave him in that church, but I knew it was what he needed. He needed to talk to God, and I couldn't fault him for that. He needed forgiveness I couldn't offer. So, though I didn't want to leave him there, I did. My heart stayed with him, though. He always had my heart.

Once I got home, I called Edward. He told me a little more of what happened today. Apparently, he'd even spoken to Charlie. Charlie told him what he could, but he couldn't guarantee anything. He truly believed this wouldn't come back on Carlisle, though. That made me feel a little better. If the chief of police didn't hold Carlisle responsible, maybe the DA and investigators would feel the same way. Still, we wouldn't know anything until the autopsy came back. And that could take a few weeks — especially with Christmas in two days and New Year's soon after.

I started to make dinner as I waited for Carlisle. I was making pork chops and mashed potatoes with green beans. I wanted to make comfort food for him. It seemed like a good idea. I knew I needed to be there for him tonight. He had always been there for me. We supported each other, and tonight I needed to support him.

I heard his car pull into my driveway as I was breading the meat. Soon after, I heard the front door open.

"I'm in the kitchen!" I called out.

A few moments later, he walked into the kitchen with a forced smile. "What are you cooking?" he asked.

"Pork chops." I smiled. "I'm breading now."

"Do you need some help?"

I nodded. "If you'd like, you could start mashing the potatoes. They've already been peeled and boiled."

He walked to the sink and washed his hands. He didn't speak again. It felt like I could _feel _his pain. He was still so upset, but that was understandable. Still, I didn't like it. In my eyes, Carlisle did nothing wrong. He saved my life; he was my hero for it. May he have taken it too far? Possibly, but I wasn't in his head. He did what he felt he had to do, and I support that.

"Smells delicious," he said as I plated the fried chops.

"Thank you." I smiled. "I hope you're hungry."

"For your food, I'm always hungry, beautiful." He smiled and took the plates to the table for me.

We ate in silence. I watched him with rapt attention. I didn't like this… He wasn't my Carlisle. So, I reached across the table and took his hand. He looked up and smiled.

"I love you, you know that?" I asked.

"Of course, and I love you too. More than anything. I'm sorry I'm not the best company tonight."

"It's understandable, but Carlisle, please, you need to stop blaming yourself. You _could not_ have prevented an infection. He was healing just fine. Last we were told, he was starting to walk again. His death wasn't your fault."

He nodded slowly. "I'm trying to feel that way, Esme. But I don't. I will always hold some responsibility for his death."

"I wish you didn't, but I understand. I love you, no matter what. Carlisle, you saved my life. He was going to kill me. So, though I wish he hadn't died, thank you for saving me."

He squeezed my hand. "I'd do it again without a second thought."

Once the dishes were cleaned and the kitchen once again spotless, Carlisle and I went into the living room. I didn't want to watch a movie. I just wanted us to hold each other. He wrapped me in his arms as I rested my back against his chest. I kept my hand over one of his and caressed the top of it.

"We should go away," I said.

"What?"

"Well, we both have some time off. Maybe for New Year's we can go to Tacoma?" I turned my head to look at him. "Please? Let's just get away from everything for a few days."

"I'd… I'd like that." He smiled. "It sounds wonderful."

I maneuvered myself around so I was straddling him. "So, we can go?"

He nodded and smiled. "Yes. I think getting away sounds like a great idea. When do you want to go?"

"Maybe the 29th? We'll stay for two nights and come home on New Year's Eve."

"Are you sure you want to go away for two nights?"

I nodded and bit my lips. "Yes."

There was no easy way to tell Carlisle I was ready. I wanted to give all of myself to him. I honestly believed I was ready. I had even spoken to Carmen about it. She said it was up to me, and only me. She asked if Carlisle had pressured me — of course, he hadn't. When I assured her of that, she told me to do what I wanted. It was my life, and at some point I did need to move on.

To anyone who didn't know what Charles had done, two months and no sex would probably seem like a long time to wait, but to those who did, it may have seemed too soon. I worried about that. I felt ready, but it wasn't like I woke up one day and decided it was time. I loved Carlisle. He'd never hurt me, and he'd only be thinking of my feelings the whole time. I didn't doubt he'd be as gentle as possible.

"Okay," he said. "We'll find a hotel tomorrow. As long as you're sure?"

I knew there was double meaning to his question. "I am. I really am."

He smiled. "I love you, Esme. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I plan on spending forever with you."

I pressed my lips to his. He laid his hand on my lower back and pulled me closer. I threaded my fingers together behind his neck and kissed him with such passion. I wanted to spend forever with him, too.

Carlisle didn't go home that night, either. We woke up together in my bed once again. I believed he was still asleep, so I slipped out of bed and into my bathroom. Once I returned, I found him resting against a few pillows.

"Morning," I said, climbing into bed.

"Have you been up long?"

I shook my head. "Only a few minutes."

He leaned down and pecked my lips. "Merry Christmas Eve."

I grinned. "Yes, Merry Christmas Eve."

"I love you, beautiful. You know," he said, rolling onto his side so he was partly on top of me, "You look absolutely gorgeous right now."

I giggled and swatted his chest. "Liar. I have bedhead from hell."

"Hmm…" He ran his hand through my hair. "I quite like the bedhead look."

"You're in a better mood this morning."

He nodded. "I am. I slept next to the most amazing woman in the world who will always love me no matter what. I thought about what she said quite a bit last night as I watched her sleep." He grinned. "She's very smart. Almost too smart." He chuckled as he dipped his head and kissed my neck. "I love her very much, you know?"

I laughed as he tickled my neck with his light stubble. "Oh, really? Do I know her, by any chance?"

"Oh, dear, I'm not sure. Have you looked in the mirror lately?" He kissed my neck again, and then ran his fuzzy face against it.

I squirmed under him. "That tickles!"

"It does? Well, then, it appears I have you trapped."

I looked at him, dead serious. "Carlisle… don't."

He moved a hand to my side. "There are some magic words," he said, grinning as his fingers started to move.

I laughed and yelped as he tickled me. I tried to squirm away, but he had me pinned. "Carlisle!"

"Say it."

"I… don't… know… what you…" He ticked more. "That tickles! I don't know what you want me to say!"

"Three little words. Come on, I know you want to."

I tried swatting his hand away. "Fine! I give up!"

"Not those words, but I pretty much knew you would." He laughed.

"I love you!" He stopped tickling me. "Was that it?"

He smirked. "Well, of course. And I love you, too." He pressed his lips to mine again.

I kissed back and wrapped my arms around his neck. There wasn't a better way to wake up than with Carlisle by my side. Even if he decided to tickle me until I about couldn't breathe. After a little more cuddling, Carlisle grabbed my laptop from beside my bed. He put it on his lap as I cuddled next to him.

"Would you like to stay in a bed and breakfast?" he asked as we looked on the Internet for hotels in Tacoma.

"Not really. I want privacy." I grinned. "Lots of privacy and no one to bother us."

He smirked. "Okay, then, big hotel where no one will bother us."

"I want somewhere nice. Is that okay, or will it be too expensive?"

"Beautiful," he said. "Nothing is too expensive for you. I'd fly you to Paris if you wanted."

I giggled. "I don't need anything that extravagant. Just somewhere peaceful where we can relax."

"Then why are we going to Tacoma? Let's find a nice lodge or cabin we can rent somewhere remote."

"I… I'd like that, actually." I smiled.

"Cabin with breathtaking views coming right up."

He searched the web a little more. We quickly found that we had to call all of the places we found to see if a cabin was even available. Many weren't. But luckily, one really beautiful place was. Carlisle booked it so we'd arrive on the 29th and leave on the 31st. We'd be home in time to celebrate New Year's with Edward and Bella.

I was excited. I'd have two nights with Carlisle. Two nights when he'd give me all the attention and time I'd need to give myself to him. I wanted nothing more than to be with Carlisle in that way. It was time.

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><p><strong>AN: **Thanks for all the reviews!

**JSYK **I'm currently editing my very first story She is Love. If you ever peeked and decided not to read because of how poorly it was written, maybe you can give it another try. I only have thirteen chapters left to do as of right now. It's not perfect, but it's much better. I'd really appreciate it if you guys gave it a try. I'm writing the sequel now.

As always, reviewers get teasers. So, **please review**. We're not far from three-hundred. I'd really like to hit that within the next few chapters. Each review is amazing, and I cherish them all, even a few short words.


	20. 20th Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and** MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**A/N: **You know that M rating? This chapter is why. I shall go hide now.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

My first Christmas with Carlisle couldn't have been more wonderful. We spent Christmas Eve baking, and he woke me up bright and early on Christmas morning with a huge grin. He sat next to me on the bed with a small rectangular box in his hands.

"What is that?" I asked.

I had clearly told him I didn't want anything extravagant, but that item was in the shape of a necklace box.

He took my hand and placed the box. "Open it." He smirked.

"Carlisle."

He chuckled. "Esme."

"I told you—"

"And did you really believe I wouldn't get you anything? Besides, I'm sure you have a little something for me, as well."

I sighed and slid my finger under the red metallic wrapping. There was just a plain white box underneath. I lifted the lid to find a black case. "I hope you didn't spend too much," I told him.

"That's nothing you need to concern yourself with. Open it."

I cracked open the case and gasped. Sitting in the plush case was the most gorgeous necklace. The pendant was a heart-shaped locket. I gently pulled the piece out and inspected it closer. It wasn't too large — modest, in fact. But it was just so beautiful. Inscribed on the front was "I love you".

"Oh, Carlisle. It's perfect," I said, grinning.

"Open it up."

I carefully opened the heart and found a picture inside. It was of us on our very first date. Carlisle had the waitress at the restaurant take it. He'd looked so handsome that night.

"You spoil me." I giggled softly.

He held his hand out. "May I?"

"Of course."

"Turn around."

I maneuvered myself around on the bed so my back was to him. He laid the heart against my chest and clasped it in the back before pulling my hair out. I wrapped my fingers around the small pendant, grinning. I turned to face him once more and placed my hand against his face, pulling him toward me.

"I love you. Thank you so much," I whispered, touching my lips to his.

Once we separated, I leapt from the bed toward my closet where his gift was. It wasn't anything special. Carlisle had to be the most difficult man to buy for. He wouldn't tell me what he wanted. Though, I did the same to him, so I couldn't blame him.

I settled on a watch. At least it wasn't a tie. But it still wasn't _exactly _what I wanted. I wanted to get him something special, but I just had no luck. I knew his birthday was coming up in February, so I settled on the watch for Christmas and decided to find something spectacular for his birthday. I would interrogate him if I had to.

Carlisle said he loved the watch. His facial expression matched his words, so I didn't doubt him. I told him I felt bad that it wasn't that special, but he just kissed me and told me not to worry about it. He loved the watch and couldn't wait to wear it.

The rest of Christmas was great. Edward, Bella, and Charlie came over for dinner. We shared gifts and ate, talking about such usual things. Charlie planned to go fishing and asked Edward and Carlisle to join him. They did that the day after Christmas. Apparently, Carlisle had never fished before, and wound up coming home with nothing. Something Carlisle wasn't good at — shocking.

I couldn't have been more excited and nervous once the 29th rolled around. I was spending three days alone with Carlisle in a remote cabin. I knew he'd be romantic and make the trip something I'd never forget. That was just how he was.

Still, I was a nervous wreck. The day before we were leaving, Rose and Bella took me to Port Angeles. Apparently, I needed _things_. I did want my first time with Carlisle to be romantic, so I indulged their every whim and tried on some of the skimpiest things. Nothing was really _me_, but we did leave Victoria's Secret with a few bags of items I was thoroughly embarrassed to be carrying around.

As I packed for the trip, I tucked the lingerie in the bottom of my suitcase, hiding it as best I could. Would Carlisle like me in these things?

_Esme, he's going to love you in anything, _my head told me.

I still couldn't shake my nerves, though. I was ready for this, I kept telling myself. Carlisle loved me and would treat me with the utmost respect. He'd be patient and loving. He wouldn't push me, and that was the most important thing.

Charles had left me so…broken. For the longest time I was sure I'd never be able to look at a man the same way again. But then there was Carlisle. He was there for me during my hardest times. He watched me cry and held me when I needed him to. He didn't overstep. He waited for me to make the first move, and I was eternally grateful for that.

But now it was time for me to make the first move once again. Carlisle hadn't pressured me for this. He had never once said a word about it, but he did have certain tells. His eyes could only stay on mine for so long. He wanted more in this relationship, but he wanted me to be ready. And I was. At least, I thought so.

"Are you about ready?" Carlisle asked, walking into my room. "The car is warmed up. We have about a four hour drive ahead of us, so we should leave soon."

I zipped my bag closed and looked up to him, smiling. "I'm ready."

Once we were on the road, my nerves seemed to settle some. We stopped for breakfast in Port Angeles before resuming our long journey.

"What time do we meet the woman for keys?" I asked.

"We're supposed to meet her at one, but I told her I'd call if we might be late," he said. "Are you sure you want to go? Because we don't have to."

I shook my head. "No, I want to go. I was the one to bring it up, remember?"

He smiled. "Yes, I recall. I just wanted to make sure. You seem a little nervous."

"A little," I admitted. "But nerves are good sometimes, you know? I think I'd be a little worried if I wasn't nervous."

"Well, we can do whatever you want. I would enjoy nothing more than just sitting by the fire with you in my arms."

"Carlisle, that's not true."

He looked to me, eyebrows raised. "Yes, it is."

"We both know we're not going to just sit by the fire for three days."

He sighed. "Would you like to talk about it?"

"I think we should. Don't you?"

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"It seems a little weird that I've basically planned out our first time." I laughed. "Most people would rather it be spontaneous."

"Yes, well, this is something that requires a great deal of thought. You have to be ready. I don't think spontaneous would work out very well."

"No, it probably wouldn't. After all, I'm basically a nutcase." I laughed.

He didn't laugh. He just looked at me sadly. "That's not true, Esme. You were hurt, and because of that, things are different than they would be traditionally."

"I know."

"So, I won't pressure you. If at any time you feel you're not ready, tell me. We'll stop. We can talk, if you'd like."

I nodded and smiled. "Thanks, Carlisle, but I am ready."

"I love you. You know that, right?"

"Of course. And I love you."

The rest of the drive was peaceful. Once we got into the mountains, I couldn't get over how beautiful it was. The snow glistened as the sun hit it. I hadn't seen snow like that in a while. When I lived in Seattle, it snowed a little, but it was the city. This was just peaceful looking.

"We're here," he announced, pulling up to a small, remote log cabin. There was another car in the driveway, and an older woman stepped out of it.

Once Carlisle signed the paperwork, she handed us the keys and left. The moment I entered the cabin, I was speechless. It was _perfect_. It was small, but not cramped. I knew there was only one bedroom, the living room, small kitchen, and bathroom, so I wasn't surprised by the size.

In the living room, there was a massive fireplace in front of the couch. I couldn't wait to crawl into Carlisle's arms and just relax in front of it. This trip was going to be very relaxing. Part of me just wanted to lie in Carlisle's arms for the entire thing. Basically, that was what we planned to do.

"I'm going to get the bags," Carlisle said.

"Okay, but then we need to head into town and get some groceries."

He smirked. "Check the kitchen, beautiful."

I found the kitchen to be stocked. All the basics were there, as well as a few other things. Carlisle must have told the woman what we wanted because in the cupboard were chocolates. My favorite kind, in fact — milk chocolate Lindor truffles. I swear, you tell that man you liked one thing, and he made sure you had it.

I walked around the cabin a little more. I went into the bedroom and found a gift basket on the dresser with all kinds of goodies. Bath salts, candles, even lotions. I pulled one from the basket and popped the lid — sniffing it. It was a sweet scent, but I couldn't place it, and of course, the name was written in French or something.

I was starting to think that the caretaker hadn't done any of this. I highly doubted Carlisle would share such personal information that this was our first time together and he wanted it special. I had a sneaking suspicion he had ordered the basket and asked the woman to put it out.

"Well, what do you think?" Carlisle asked, carrying each of our bags. He put his on the floor and mine on the bed.

"This is amazing." I held up the bottle. "Lotions?"

He smiled shyly. "Must be complimentary."

I smirked and rolled my eyes. "You are such a liar."

He laughed. "I just wanted things to be perfect. Bella helped me."

I cocked my eyebrow. "Bella?"

"And Rose. Rose ordered the basket and Bella told the attendant what things we'd need. That woman, Jane, has owned the cabin since her father died. She said that if we wanted anything, she'd get it for us. I really don't know much about food and whatnot, so Bella talked to her."

"That was sweet of them." I smiled. I'd have to thank them both later.

"Very kind of them. So, what would you like to do first?"

"Oh, I don't know," I said, at a loss.

"You know, there's a hot tub out back." He grinned.

"I recall seeing something about that." I blushed. "Should I change into my bathing suit?"

"If you'd like, or we can just relax inside."

I shook my head. "No, the hot tub sounds like a great way to relax."

He nodded, smiling. "I'll meet you out there."

I grabbed my suit from my bag and scurried into the bathroom, so he could use the bedroom to change. I quickly changed into the new bikini Rose and Bella convinced me to buy. It was white with gold colored trim on the cup and faux gems embroidered. Though I did have a nice pair_, _the cups made me a little bigger. I certainly didn't look bad, if you asked me.

I peeked out the door and found the bedroom empty, so I hurried out. On the bed, there was a plush white robe. I wrapped it around me and headed out of the room. I peeked out the sliding, glass door and found Carlisle already in the hot tub. There was loads of steam coming off the bubbling water. It looked very warm, which was perfect for the cold weather.

When he noticed me at the door, Carlisle grinned and splashed the water around. He mouthed something which I couldn't hear. I assumed it was something along the lines of the water being warm. I opened the door and the cold air hit me hard. I ran toward the tub, shed the robe next to his, and hurried into the warm water.

"Oh, brrrr!" I exclaimed.

He chuckled and pulled me into his arms. "Let me warm you up." He grinned mischievously. "You look _stunning_."

I blushed and wrapped my arms around his bare torso. "Thank you, but _you_ should really thank Rose and Bella. They helped me pick the suit out."

"Oh, beautiful, the suit has nothing to do with it. _You're _gorgeous. The suit is just a bonus."

"You look very handsome." I smiled.

Carlisle held me close as we relaxed in the tub for what seemed like hours. Truthfully, we had only been in it about an hour. My fingers were prunes, but my body felt great. The tub was definitely something I wanted to experience a few more times before we left.

Around four, I decided to make dinner. I made lasagna with garlic bread. Bella did perfectly in telling Jane what items I'd need to cook with. We ate dinner with light conversation before Carlisle put his fork down, looked at me, and smiled kindly.

"I want you to know a few things. Okay?" he asked.

I nodded slowly. "Okay."

"When you're ready, and only when you're positive that you're ready, I want you to make the first move. You can tell me flat out or do whatever you wish. I do not want to pressure you. If at any time you feel I am, Esme, please, tell me."

"Of course."

"I won't hurt you. This is all about you, all right? I want you to be happy. I'll be gentle and as caring as I can. If I go too fast or do something you don't enjoy, tell me because this is all for you. I want to make you feel good."

I smiled. "I'm sure it'll be great."

"Do you need me to know anything? This is new to me, too. I've never been so in love in my life, and I don't know exactly where the line is."

"If I'm ever uncomfortable, I'll tell you. Just… go slowly with me, okay?"

"I will. I'll make you as comfortable as I can. And," he smirked, "I'll make you feel good."

I ducked my head and blushed. "I don't doubt that."

Once dishes were clean and everything back in its place, I wrapped my arms around Carlisle. He held me close and kissed the top of my head.

"Give me an hour, and then meet me in the bedroom," I told him.

"Are you sure you want to do this tonight?"

"Carlisle, meet me in the bedroom."

And with that, I stepped out of his arms. Once I got into the bedroom, I opened my suitcase and went straight to the bottom. I found the babydoll I liked most. It was a black, pleated, lacy thing with an empire waist and a little satin bow. After showering and making sure everything that needed to be shaved was shaved, I dried my hair and slipped into the small thing.

_Should… do I wear makeup?_

Carlisle always said I looked so beautiful without it, so I decided against it. I didn't want to look overdone. I just wanted to look like me. He loved me for who I was, so why change it? Simple and natural sounded perfect. If I didn't really like this babydoll, I probably would have been wearing shorts and a tank top. Sad, but true. I was a simple woman, but Carlisle deserved much more.

_I'm ready, _I told myself in my head.

As I looked at myself in the mirror, though, I didn't look very ready. I looked downright frightened. My eyes were wide, cheeks red because I was so embarrassed, and my chest kept rising and falling quickly. I was panicking. What if Carlisle didn't like what he saw? What if I wasn't very good and he was upset? What if… he didn't come?

"Stop!" I whispered harshly. "Do not do this to yourself, Esme. You've had sex before. You know how to have sex."

_Yes, but you've never gotten much enjoyment out of it_.

I wanted to bang my head against the counter. I was talking to myself. Wonderful. That didn't scream crazy at all. I was just so nervous. I loved Carlisle more than anything, and I didn't want to disappoint him.

_He's Carlisle_, my brain said. _He'll guide you and do anything you __need. He'd __never be disappointed._

That was true, I guess. So why was I freaking out? Oh yeah, because it was Carlisle. I loved him, and I wanted it to be perfect for _him_. If I wasn't able to come, that was okay with me, as long as he did.

_But screaming his name in ecstasy does sound pretty damn good._

I nodded. It really did. Just that dream about him made me come. The real live thing was sure to, right? Right?

"Esme," he called through the bathroom door. "Are you okay? Please, beautiful, if you're not ready, we don't have to do this."

I took a deep breath and shook my fears away. I looked at myself once more in the mirror. I was ready. Period. No more discussion otherwise.

I walked over to the door and opened it to find him there, smiling kindly. "I'm ready," I said, smiling back.

His eyes moved down my body. I giggled softly. His expression was one of awe. Did I look okay? "Dear God, Esme." He grinned. "You look unbelievable."

I did a quick spin. "Yeah?"

He walked closer and eagerly took my lips. His hands rested on my behind as he took a few more steps and I backed up. I was quickly up against the counter. He hitched my leg up and lifted me onto the surface as his tongue moved desperately in my mouth.

"Mmm, you're so gorgeous right now," he whispered, moving his lips to my neck.

My hands fisted in his hair. "Carlisle, bedroom."

Without another word, he lifted me off the counter and carried me into the bedroom. He set me down on the bed, hovering over me. His hand trailed up my stomach, talking the babydoll with it. His large hand felt so good, so warm on me. I just wanted him to keep touching me.

I moved my hands to the button on his jeans, making quick work of undoing it and getting the zipper down. He started to sit up, but I went with him, keeping my lips on his. His hands left my body and pulled his jeans down. I started lifting his t-shirt, but couldn't get very far since I didn't want to separate. He pulled us apart and tossed his shirt to the floor.

I stared at his bare chest, hungrily. The man just looked… unbelievable. His muscles weren't overbearing — just perfect. I got up on my knees on the bed and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

I put my lips to his ears and whispered, "I have been waiting _so _long for this. Don't make me wait any longer."

I pulled back and watched his sly smirk. "You've been waiting long? I'm so tired of those cold showers."

I giggled. "Well, you won't need one tonight. Love me, Carlisle."

He laid me back against the bed. He propped himself up with his left arm as his right hand trailed down my tummy to my thighs and down to my knee. His touch was light as he came back up to my hip. His fingers slipped under my panties.

"May I?" he asked pulling the fabric lightly.

I nodded. "Please."

He pulled the material down as he went with them. I lifted up a little to watch him. He took his time lowering them. When they were to my ankles, he slipped one foot out and then the other. The light material of the babydoll left nothing covered. His eyes landed between my legs as he crawled back up my body.

"You look like an angel with your hair spread out like that on the bed. You're so beautiful. Thank you for not wearing makeup. You're too beautiful for it," he said.

"I love you," I whispered.

His hand trailed up my thigh. "And I love you. More than anything in the world. Are you sure?"

I nodded. "Touch me, Carlisle."

The moment his fingers made contact with my center, I gasped. It felt _so _damn good. He rested his index finger against my clit and pressed lightly, moving it around in circles.

"Uh… mmm, yes," I whimpered softly.

"You're wet for me."

"Yes. I need you."

"And I need you. I'm going to make you feel so good."

"Already," I panted, "are."

After a few more moments of twirling his finger around my clit, he stopped. I could have cried. That was until his thumb took over the motion so his finger could enter me. I gasped once more. I just… yes!

"Oh, yes…"

His finger moved in and out slowly. He went a little deeper, pressed it against me and pulled it back out. My whole body shook with pleasure.

"There it is," he whispered as I opened my eyes to his face. He was smiling.

He kept up the motion and I was about to see stars. Then he decided to use his middle finger as well. With two fingers in me and his thumb circling my clit, I was in heaven. I spread my legs a little wider to give him more room. He lowered his face to my neck and sucked lightly. My left hand gripped the blanket on the bed as my right held onto his upper arm. I was so close.

"Yes, Carlisle, please… don't stop!"

"I'm not going to, beautiful."

His lips left my neck as he watched my face. He had a smile I couldn't even describe on his lips. Our eyes locked as his fingers picked up their pace. Suddenly something in me snapped.

"Oh, God!" I screamed as my back arched off the bed.

"That's it, love. Come for me."

"I… oh… mmm," I gasped as his fingers pulled out of me slowly.

He took my lips, kissing me passionately. I felt so good. That was just… amazing. And the best part was knowing there was much more to come.

"You were so breathtaking," he whispered. "I have never seen anything more beautiful than watching you unravel like that."

"I… it… you… amazing."

I had no real words to describe what I was feeling. I was still panting and enjoying the feelings he had evoked. His hand was light on my stomach, making soothing circles around my belly button.

He chuckled softly. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Oh, so much. Thank you."

"You're welcome, but thank you for letting me give you that. For letting me see you like that. It was more than I could have imagined."

I smiled. "We're not done."

"Are you positive you want to do this tonight? We can wait."

I shook my head. "I don't want to wait any longer. Besides, you made me feel good, now it's my turn."

"As long as you're sure."

"I've never been more ready in my life."

We moved under the covers. I just felt more comfortable under them. I asked him to turn off the light, which he did without a word. The moon was bright, so it illuminated the room plenty. Carlisle kicked off his boxers before crawling into bed with me. I was on my back in the center of the bed.

"Esme, may I take this," he lightly touched the bow on my babydoll, "off?"

I didn't hesitate long. "Yes." I nodded.

He pulled the blanket off of me and untied the bow. I wasn't as nervous as I thought I'd be once he undid the clasp in front and opened it up. I was bare, and he just smiled, gazing down at me.

"You're perfect."

His hand rested on my breast as his thumb glided across my nipple. I moaned softly and arched into his touch. I could see his smile from the moonlight. I brought my hand up and touched his face.

"You're beautiful," I said.

He chuckled. "That's my word."

I smirked. "I'm stealing it."

"It's my word, beautiful. You can't have it."

He pressed his lips to mine and kept running his thumb over my breast. I weaved my fingers through his hair on the back of his neck. I shifted slightly under him and my leg brushed against his hardness.

"Carlisle," I whispered as we parted so he could move his lips to my neck.

He pulled his mouth from my neck immediately. "What's wrong?"

I shook my head, smiling. "Nothing, but I think we're both ready." I moved my hand and trailed it down his abdomen.

He smirked. "Yes, well, I just watched the most gorgeous woman in the world come under my touch, so…" He trailed off.

"Make love to me?"

"As long as you're sure."

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life."

He brought his hand back down to my center and ran his finger over me. He smirked, realizing exactly how ready I was for him. I had just come, so there was nothing surprising about it.

"We haven't talked about this, but you're on the pill, right?" he asked.

"Yes, I am."

"So, what should I..."

"Unless you'd rather use one, no condom."

Over the summer I had gone to the doctor in Port Angeles. They ran tests, and Charles hadn't given me anything. Carlisle already knew this because I was worried and told him so. Once the results came back, I let him know.

"I'd rather not." He smiled, nudging my leg apart a little more.

The seconds felt like minutes as I waited for him to enter me. He kept watching my face for any change in my decision, but there wasn't going to be one. I needed him more than anything in that moment. He slowly entered me, and I tensed some. He was much bigger than Charles. Not unbelievably large, but bigger than anyone I'd been with before.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yes, I just… wasn't expecting it to… feel like that."

"I can stop."

"Don't."

It wasn't pain, per se, but I could certainly feel myself being stretched as he went deeper. Once he pulled out some and went back in, it felt much better.

"Esme, you feel amazing."

"You… too," I moaned.

His movements were gentle. He went slowly at first, but soon picked up his pace. I was starting to feel wonderful again. I placed my hand back against his face and led his lips to mine again. The sounds that left his mouth were such a turn-on. The soft grunts, the sweet whispers of "I love you", his moans. There was nothing sexier.

"You're… damn. I love you so much, Esme," he said through his teeth.

He hit that spot time and time again. I was so close and the second he moved his finger against my clit again, I lost it. I panted his name as he picked up pace once more. He was close, too. Just moments away. When he came, there was nothing more beautiful than watching his face. His eyes were closed tight, his jaw clenched. His hand fisted in the pillow beside my head.

"Carlisle, that was the most wonderful thing ever. Thank you."

He rolled onto his side next to me, blowing out a deep breath. He turned his head to me and said, "I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you. And dear God, I can't wait to make you mine forever."

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><p><strong>AN: ***peeks out from under the table* anyone still here? So, I have to ask. How was it? Did it meet any expectations you had? Please let me know!

As always, reviewers get a teaser. And I already have the teaser written, so… **Please Review…**


	21. 21st Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and** MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

It was four in the morning. Esme was sound asleep next to me, but I had no desire to sleep in that moment. I just wanted to watch her. Under the blankets, she was bare. She had fallen asleep after the last go-around about two hours ago. She was exhausted, and I couldn't help but feel a bit smug about that. I exhausted her.

Suddenly, she turned in her sleep and the blanket lowered, exposing her chest. She was exquisite. Every inch of her body was perfect, and I wanted nothing more than to touch it again. But she was asleep. She needed the rest, so I didn't. I just gazed at her as her chest rose with each breath she took.

I had meant what I said earlier — that I wanted to make her mine forever. Logically, I couldn't yet. Two months was much too soon. I wanted it, though. And I would make it happen. One day I would get to call her Mrs. Cullen, and that would be the happiest day of my life.

We spent our time at the cabin in front of the fireplace… and in the kitchen… and back in the hot tub. Apparently, once Esme was ready, she was _ready_. Don't get me wrong, it was amazing, and there was no better way to spend a vacation than making love to the most beautiful woman in the world.

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><p>"Oh, Carlisle!" Esme shouted, digging her nails into my back as I thrust into her.<p>

"That's it, beautiful; that's it," I chanted, feeling my release building quickly.

I wasn't going to last much longer, watching her beautiful breasts bounce with my rhythm. Her face was a portrait of pleasure. I was giving her that pleasure. I quickly learned interesting things about Esme's body after our first time. She loved being touched. Her favorite thing was when I had a hand on her hip, holding her as we made love. She preferred being underneath me. She wanted me in control, but that didn't mean she wasn't vocal with what she wanted. She liked when I rubbed her. She actually told me to do it the second time. She told me to go faster when my pace wasn't to her liking. I loved when she told me what to do. Those words leaving her mouth was the sexiest thing I could imagine.

"God! God! Oh…" she screamed, coming apart below me. "Carlisle, Carlisle, Carlisle," she chanted as I lost it.

Once I was done, I pulled out of her warm body and collapsed next to her. She was still softly panting, with a light sheen of sweat covering her forehead. It was a beautiful sight.

"Why the hell did we wait so long?" she asked, giggling lightly.

I laid my hand against her soft belly and smiled. "I don't know, but it was well worth the wait."

She turned her face to me. "Is it wrong that I don't want to leave here in a few hours? Carlisle, these have been the best few days of my life. Please, tell me we can come back some day?"

"Of course, we can. Whenever you'd like."

"Good." She smiled. "Because I love that hot tub. You should get one for your new house. We can christen it."

I chuckled. "I'll add it to the list. I'd love christening it with you. We'll have to christen the entire house. Each room." I smirked.

"You are so bad." She laughed.

"Me? You're the one who wants a hot tub just so we can have sex in it."

She rolled over on her side and laid her hand against my ass, squeezing. "I love these. They're mine now."

"What happened to my shy Esme?"

"She learned to live a little. We should start getting ready to leave, shouldn't we?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Why don't you get a shower first?"

"All right," she sighed. "I just don't want to leave."

I raised my hand to caress her cheek. "I don't either, but we have to. Edward and Bella are expecting us back for dinner."

She sat up and pulled the blanket around her nude form. I wanted to rip it off of her. "You know, I'd love a little show." I winked.

She giggled. "A show, huh?" She slipped the blanket off of her shoulder with her back to me. "How is that?"

"Not good enough. Keep lowering it."

"Aren't you a little demanding?" She laughed, dropping the blanket entirely. "Now, how is that?"

"That… is perfect."

She turned her head to look at me. "Eat it up, handsome."

She then strutted away, shaking her ass a little for me. I laughed so loud. This was not the Esme I was used to, but I loved it. The way she had opened up for me had astounded me. I never expected her to be so open when it came to our lovemaking. I pictured her as quiet, which she was for the most part. She really didn't seem like the woman who wanted to walk off to the bathroom nude. If I hadn't prompted her otherwise, I was sure she wouldn't. After all, she did pull the blanket over her to get out of bed.

Once I heard the shower turn on, I got out of bed and pulled my boxers and sleep pants back on. I went into the kitchen to start coffee. As that was brewing, I went to the back door to open the blinds. I was met with snow… and lots of it. It was still coming down in large flakes. I went to the television and turned on the news.

"_Unexpected snow storm "sweeps" through the northwest this New Year's Eve, leaving thousands stranded. Sea-Tac International has canceled flights going in or out of the busy airport," the news anchor said._

"Shit," I whispered, flipping to The Weather Channel.

If flights in or out of Seattle had been canceled, the roads getting back were sure to be hell as well. As I waited for the commercial to end, I grabbed my cell phone off the counter and found a few missed calls from Edward. As I was about to listen to his first voicemail, he called again.

"Edward," I answered.

"Please, tell me you two haven't tried to get out on the roads yet?"

"No, Esme's showering now. We were going to leave in an hour or so. How bad are the roads there?"

"They're already covered. This shit just started a few hours ago, but everything is going to hell. It doesn't look like it's going to end any time soon. I don't think you two will be able to drive back. Actually, please don't even try. I'm in the ER and we've had nothing but fender benders all morning. They've slowed down now that people are getting off the roads, but it dangerous out there."

I ran my hand over my face. "Well, I guess we're staying put. Is this supposed to last long?"

"Weatherman is saying well into tomorrow."

"Great," I sighed.

"Will you and Es be okay up there? Do you have food, water, firewood?"

"Yes, we have plenty of everything. I have to call Jane and make sure she understands we'll be here for a few more days."

"Yeah, all right, just… you know, stay safe."

"We will. Goodbye."

I hung up and dialed Jane's number. She expected as much and told me there was extra firewood in the shed out back and candles and flashlights were in the pantry. I watched The Weather Channel for a few minutes to see what to expect. They were calling this one of the worst storms in recent years. Great. It wasn't safe to be in the mountains during this type of weather. The power could, and mostly likely would, go out, meaning I needed to make sure we had plenty of firewood.

I bundled up and darted out the back door. The snow was past my ankles, and it couldn't have been snowing here for more than a few hours. By this time tomorrow — if the snow kept up a steady pace — there could likely be two feet of snow on the ground, possibly more.

I made four trips, bringing as much of the wood as I could with me each time. I wasn't prepared for being snowed in. I was a city-dweller. I had no idea how much wood we'd need if the power went out, so I brought what I hoped was more than enough.

"Carlisle," Esme said as I came back in on my last trip. "What are you..." Her eyes widened as she looked outside. "It's coming down hard out there."

"Yeah, we can't leave now. Edward knows, I called Jane, and now I'm trying to make sure we have enough firewood. I don't suppose you'd know how much, right?"

She shook her head. "Um… a lot?"

I chuckled. "I assumed as much. I'm going to clear the path as best I can in case we need more."

"I think," she said, looking to the pile I had already created, "that we have plenty. I mean, what's the likelihood we'll be stuck here for more than a day or so?"

"Not sure, but I don't want to risk running out. The flashlights and candles are in the pantry. Would you mind getting them out and setting them somewhere easy to find?"

"Yeah, sure. So, we'll be here for a few more days?" She smiled, hopefully.

"Yes, Esme, it seems you got your wish to stay a little longer." I smirked.

"I'm thanking the snow in my mind right now."

Once I was sure we had everything we might need, Esme and I sat down in the living room in front of the fire I had gone ahead and started. There really wasn't much to do. The television was on low, but The Weather Channel wasn't capturing our attention at all.

"You know, I saw board games in the closet," Esme said.

"You want to play board games?"

She smirked. "Scrabble?"

I laughed. "Sure, Scrabble it is."

As Esme went to get the game, I put some couch pillows on the floor on each side of the table. She came back and set up the board as I shook the tiles in the bag for good measure. Once our letters were in our tray, she smirked.

"Something good?" I asked.

"Maybe. Why don't you go first?"

"All right." I picked up four letters and laid them down. "Mule."

"Really, 'mule'?"

"I'm sorry. I thought I'd be nice and start off simple."

"Well, six points is very… simple." She giggled.

"Just lay yours down and stop picking on my mule," I laughed.

She pulled two letters from her tray and grinned. She laid an "s" above my "e" and giggled even more. "Go ahead and mark me down for twelve points, handsome." She laid an "x" under the "e"

"Really? So we're playing naughty Scrabble?" I laughed.

"Sex isn't naughty. It's natural."

"So is penis, but you won't see me laying that down." I smirked.

"If I get those letters, it's going down," she announced

I picked out my three new letters and stared at my tray. I needed something dirty, but I didn't have anything to make something dirty. Then I saw it. I had a "b", two "o's" and a "s". Playing off the "m", I laid down "bosom".

"The 'b' is doubled, so that gives me twelve."

She just laughed. "Bosom? You had nothing better?"

"That's… naughty-ish." I laughed. "And no, I'm just glad I saw that."

We kept playing. Whenever we could, we'd sneak something dirty in. She did eventually get 'penis', and she couldn't stop grinning because of it. A few turns later, I played 'clit'. She argued it wasn't a word, which technically it wasn't, but she gave it to me anyway. She was winning. There was no way I could catch up.

Suddenly, she broke out in a huge fit of laughter. I asked what, but she kept laughing and shaking her head as she plucked the tiles from her tray into her hand. She started below an "o" with an "r" and kept laying down tiles.

I could tell what word she was laying down, but before she set the last tile down, she looked up to me and smiled. "I'd like one of these." She placed a "m".

"I think we're done playing now."

"Are you going to give me my orgasm?" She smirked.

"Beautiful, I'll give you more than one." I winked. "I'll give you a five second head start before I'm coming after you and ripping those clothes off."

She scurried to her feet, but I decided to cheat. I swept her into my arms and carried her giggling form into the bedroom. She was already unbuttoning my shirt before I even set her down. We made quick work of each other's clothes, tossing them to the floor before we crawled under the blankets. I lay on my side next to her and placed my hand against her stomach. I moved it down, slowly, until I encountered her center.

Suddenly, it happened. The power went off and, though it was still the middle of the day, we were left in darkness because of the cloud cover.

"No," she whispered. "Don't worry about it. We don't need the power."

"Yes, Esme, we do. Shit," I hissed.

"We already have the fire going. There's nothing more we can do. Let's just enjoy this. You promised me orgasms." She admonished.

I did promise her that. "Okay, but once we're done you have to go put on something warm — many layers."

She rolled her eyes. "We're not going to freeze to death."

"Esme, being snowed in isn't as romantic as it sounds."

She grabbed onto my shirt and pulled me down, crashing her lips against mine. "I think it sounds pretty romantic," she whispered as we parted momentarily.

As her lips went back to mine, I brought my hand back to her warm center. She immediately pressed herself into my hand. I started off slowly, but as her moans picked up, so did my fingers. I loved the way she felt around my fingers, but my favorite thing was her expressions. I pulled my lips from hers and just watched as I brought her to her release. Her eyes were closed tight. Her mouth opened as she moaned louder. She grabbed the blanket with one hand as the other gripped my shoulder.

"Carlisle," she sighed, coming down from her high.

I peppered her neck with kisses. "Yes, beautiful?"

"Thank you," she whispered. I lifted my head to look at her. "Now it's your turn."

Her hand felt… _fucking _great. She kept asking if something was okay — worried I didn't like it. I assured her it was perfect. She just smiled and continued on. We took a short break after a bit and I just worshipped her body. I kissed every inch of it. Her stomach was my favorite, mostly because she loved me touching it. I kissed around her belly button and she'd giggled. The sound was amazing — music to my ears.

After we made love again, we both fell asleep. I wrapped my arms around her as she rested her head against my chest and drifted off.

"Carlisle," Esme said, waking me up. "It's getting a little chilly in here. Maybe we should get some clothes on and go out to the fireplace."

I kissed her softly. "Yes, beautiful, that sounds like the best idea."

I yawned and stretched before getting out of bed and putting clothes back on. I may have hated seeing her cover up that beautiful body, but I was thankful that Esme bundled up. We had been without power for two hours. The cabin was already losing heat. I just prayed the fireplace would keep us warm.

Though the vacation itself was amazing, part of me wished we hadn't come. I didn't like knowing this was putting Esme in danger. Yes, I was sure we'd probably be fine, but there was that chance something could happen. If the snow brought down trees across the road, we could be stuck here even longer without power.

We pulled the couch a little closer to the fireplace and wrapped up in a large blanket. I held her in my arms and kissed her head every once in a while. She just sighed and turned her head around so I could see her smile.

"You're birthday is coming up next month," she said. "Would you please tell me what you want?"

I chuckled. "You?"

"You already have me," she huffed. "I mean… something material. There has to be something you want."

"Beautiful, you know I don't really care about that stuff."

"Any new books?"

"I have a few on my list I'd like to buy."

"Give me the list then."

"Okay, I will."

She smiled. "Good."

"And your birthday is in June… What do you want?"

"I want to move in with you."

I grinned. "That's not much of a birthday gift, seeing as how it's a given."

She turned herself around so she was facing me. "Really? You think by then we can move in together?"

I nodded. "The house will be done by then. You still have to finish your plans for decorating, though."

"I made some sketches already, you know? They aren't all exactly man-ish." She smirked. "I thought about what I would like and just sketched. It's your house, I know, but I just dreamed of it being ours."

"It is ours. I'm not moving into that house without you. I bought that land because of you, so it's only right that we move in together."

She grinned and threw her arms around my neck. "Oh, Carlisle! Thank you!"

"I love you, Esme. More than words can express."

"I love you, too. You've made my dreams come true."

I smiled and kissed her softly. "We're only just beginning, beautiful."

Thankfully, only hours after it went out, the power was back on. We were able to leave the next morning. The roads were a little… iffy, but I drove slowly and got us out of the mountains.

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><p>Esme went back to work once the schools opened back up, but I was left out of work. I honestly didn't do much during the three weeks it took to be cleared of any wrongdoing. The autopsy came back saying Charles died from sepsis; a severe illness in which the bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacteria. The sepsis actually developed because of poor care — an infection wasn't treated properly when it began. It was the prison's fault, not mine. One could argue that it all went back to me, but one could also argue it all went back to him. If he hadn't tried to hurt Esme again, I wouldn't have hurt him in the first place.<p>

My first day back at work went smoothly. I think Edward put the fear of God into the staff, so they didn't say a thing. I was welcomed back with open arms. When I got back to Esme's that evening, she had a cake. I just wanted to laugh.

"It's a 'congratulations, you didn't kill anyone, so you can go back to work' cake," she said, with a grin.

I laughed and dipped my finger into the icing. "Interesting name…" I licked my finger. "Tastes good." I pronounced.

"It better." She giggled. "I slaved over this baby. It's red velvet… Your favorite, right?"

She knew me all too well. "Like you have to ask. Thanks, Esme."

"For a moment I thought it might be in bad taste to make you a cake, but… it's cake! Who doesn't love cake?"

"Exactly. Now, are we having dinner or are we just eating cake? Because I really want to dig into this."

"Well, I made a simple dinner — just some pasta — so it's up to you. Cake first and if you're still hungry, pasta?"

I grinned. "That sounds perfect. Thank you."

I leaned down and kissed her soft lips. She wrapped her arm around my neck as I placed mine against her lower back — pulling her closer to me. I wanted nothing more than to hold her like that forever, but she pulled her lips from mine, gave me a quick peck, and let go of me.

As we ate the cake, I told Esme about my first day back. I didn't have any surgeries, but I had a lot of sutures, which were one of those things I was not only good at, but enjoyed doing.

"So, no one was… no one said anything, right?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I have a feeling Edward may have scared them enough to keep their mouths closed. I was welcomed back with smiles and even a few hugs."

"Aww, how sweet. They love you there, Carlisle. I don't think it was Edward telling them not to say anything. I think they just missed you. You're an invaluable staff member."

"I do what I can."

She rolled her eyes. "You're way too modest."

"Well, the hospital survived over three weeks without me, so I'm not sure I'm invaluable."

"So… Edward and Bella set a date, you know? And it's fast approaching."

I nodded. "April 14th, he told me today."

"Less than three months." She shook her head. "I just don't see how they can put a wedding together so quickly."

"Well, it's Bella, you know she doesn't want anything big."

"I know." She smiled, and then looked down to her fork moving across the almost empty plate. Her smile faded. "They're sending an invitation to our parents."

I sighed. "Tell Edward you'd rather him not invite them. I'm sure he'd understand."

"I can't do that. Besides, maybe they've changed… or something."

"Possibly, but you shouldn't have to be uncomfortable. For your sake, Edward would change his mind about inviting them."

"He deserves to have his parents at his wedding. If they say or do something, I can always leave."

"You and Edward are way too close to have him choose your parents over you. I'd bet he'd make them leave before you."

"Yes, he would," she sighed. "Bella asked Rose to be her maid of honor. But she made sure I knew I was just as important, even though I'm not going to be standing beside her."

I didn't like that. I was to be Edward's best man, so I wished Esme could be the maid of honor. "Edward asked me to be his best man. I'm sorry, beautiful. Bella and Rose have been friends for a very long time. It was just natural for her to choose Rose."

"Oh, no! I'm not upset about it. Trust me; I'd rather not be a maid of honor. Too much work, even if the wedding is so small. I'd be afraid of something not being perfect, you know?"

"Well, I highly doubt Bella would be a bridezilla." I laughed. "But I see your point. I have to make sure I don't lose their rings. That terrifies me." I shuttered. "I don't think he would ever speak to me again if I did that."

She giggled. "Dating his sister he can let go, but ruin his wedding? I'm not sure he'd get over that one."

"Yes, so I'm enlisting your help with that task. Okay?"

She nodded, smiling. "With two of us on the task, I'm sure we'll keep them in a safe place."

I ate too much cake, but Esme made it, so that was expected. It was delicious. It probably wasn't the best idea to skip dinner and go for the dessert, but I wanted that dessert. After dinner, Esme showed me some sketches she had been working on for our new home. They were amazing; the woman had a gift. She wanted to make a change to the actual design plan of the house. She wanted a large window in the living room, looking out toward the forest. It didn't seem like it'd be that hard to add, but I said I'd check with the architect and builder first thing in the morning to be sure it wouldn't be "much trouble". She didn't want to cause any trouble; it was adorable how she worried over such small things.

The house was to be as much hers as mine. If she wanted, I'd scrap what was built and let her redo it how she liked. She said she liked the design, but she wanted that window. She was getting that window, that much was certain. When I asked her what she wanted to do with the extra bedrooms, she bit her lip and looked up at me.

"Right now, I don't know. I mean, what does one normally do with extra bedrooms?" she asked.

"Multiple things. We can add an exercise room, or a reading room… Maybe an art studio. I think you'd like one of those, wouldn't you?"

"Well, yes, I supposed I would." She smiled. "So… exercise room, reading room, and art studio — that takes care of the three extra rooms."

"And they can always be remodeled in the future if we need them for other reasons."

Her eyes lit up. "Other reasons." She smiled. "Someday, I'd like to have to remodel those rooms."

"We will, beautiful." I leaned over and kissed her lips. "Who knows, maybe we'll need to add an addition."

"Oh, no, three is plenty." She laughed.

"But you'll still need your art studio."

She smiled. "I love planning for the future with you."

"As do I. We have a _very_ long future ahead of us. And it all starts with this house."

We gazed over at the table where her sketches and the blueprints were. That table held the beginning of a bright future. A future I couldn't wait to begin.

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><p><strong>AN: **I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is the next chapter is almost done! So the wait won't be as long. Now, the bad news is this story is almost over. You can cry with me if you'd like. I feel as though the story has been told. While there are many more things I'd like to show you all, the story must end. Right now I have at least two more regular chapters planned and two epilogues. I also have an outtake I want to do.

Thank you all for the amazing support you've offered. I can't believe we have over 300 reviews!

**Please Review…**


	22. 22nd Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and** MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

The weeks leading up to Edward's wedding seemed to blur together. The small ceremony was to take place at a church. I was a little surprised by that. Edward certainly wasn't one I saw wanting to be married in a church — Bella, either — but that was the location they chose. The reception was being held at the church itself. There wasn't any big fanfare to be made. They both wanted simple. Though, even with a simple wedding, the tasks to complete seemed to be endless.

Rose and I worked together in setting up floral arrangements, seating plans, music for the reception, and every other small detail. The caterer had been paid and the menu was decided on. Though Rose was Bella's maid of honor, many of the duties fell on me. Mainly a duty I did not want. I was to pick my parents up from the airport and bring them back to my house to stay. Apparently, none of the hotels in town were good enough for them, so — feeling guilty and wanting everything to go smoothly — I volunteered my house. I had already planned to be staying with Carlisle while they were in town anyway. Still, I didn't want them in my house, and I certainly didn't want to pick them up from the airport. But Edward deserved to have a happy wedding with his parents involved, so I sucked it up.

I wasn't necessarily still angry with my parents for how they treated me. I let it go a long time ago, but at that time, I didn't think I'd ever need to see them again. It was an easy out of sight, out of mind thing. I wished I had better parents, but I accepted that I didn't. So why was I so nervous to see them again? If I had let this go, I shouldn't have been nervous and fearful of what hurtful words would leave their mouths.

"Good news!" Carlisle announced, coming into the kitchen. He had his cell phone in hand.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for work?" I asked, lifting my orange juice to sip.

I had to leave for the airport in Seattle in less than a half-hour. My parents flight arrived at ten-thirty, and if I was late, I had no doubt I'd hear about it. Luckily, Carlisle said he'd trade cars with me, so at least my parents couldn't make snide remarks about driving in an older car. No, I'd be driving his nice Mercedes.

"Not going in today." He smiled as I cocked my head. "That was Dr. Biers. He said he'd take my shift, so I can go with you to pick up your parents. I don't like you having to do that on your own."

"Carlisle, it's okay. I'll be fine. Go to work if you need to."

He shook his head. "I don't need to. My shift is covered and Dr. Gerandy is working in case any emergency surgeries come in. I didn't have anything scheduled for today — since the wedding is this evening — so as long as the ER is covered, I'm good to take the day."

"Well, thank you." I smiled, tilting my head up as he bent down to kiss me.

"Mmm, you taste like OJ," he laughed.

"Great, I should go brush my teeth again."

He took my lips again, and then parted for a second. "Don't… I like it," he whispered, taking my lips once more.

As Carlisle sped down the highway toward Seattle, we talked a little about my parents. I wasn't looking forward to seeing them, and he knew it. I didn't have to tell him. He said my demeanor had changed since learning I had to pick them up.

"I'm just afraid of their words and looks, you know?" I told him. "I mean, the last time I spoke to my father, he hung up on me after telling me to grow up and do something important with my life."

"But Esme, you are doing something important with your life. In less than five months, you get to start teaching art to children. I'd say that's pretty important."

"To us it is, but not to them. When I thought about becoming a teacher and told them, they said it was a silly career choice for me. It's not important to them. They thought my drawing was a waste of time. They had a plan for me. I was supposed to go into law or business… even medicine. Into something that'd make money. But that never interested me."

"You're a very creative person. Those careers wouldn't have suited you. Teaching… now that suits you. And teaching art just seems like a perfect match for you. Maybe they've changed over the years. You spoke to them last when you were what? Nineteen? That's an awfully long time ago."

"Maybe they've changed… At least, I hope they have. I want Edward's wedding to be perfect and that means everyone needs to get along. I really hope they'll approve of Bella."

"She's Bella… What's not to love? She's sweet, smart, and the perfect match to Edward. It's as clear as day that they belong together."

I smiled. "It is. I'm so happy for them. Who knows, maybe I'll have a little niece or nephew soon."

"You never know what may happen. Although, Edward was telling me they want to wait at least a few years before thinking of having kids."

"So they're thinking?" I grinned.

He nodded. "They're discussing the future."

"That's great. Just think Edward might be a father soon. He'll have to learn to control that mouth of his," I laughed.

"I'm very terrified that child's first word will be 'fuck' or 'damn'… Bella will kill him."

The closer we got to Seattle, the more nervous I grew. What would my mother say? Would she say something about how I looked? Would she say something about Carlisle? About me moving to Forks? Would my father even speak to me? I just prayed things had changed. That with age, they had gotten… nicer? Was that the correct word even? My parents… nice. I just wanted to laugh at that.

"Their flight just arrived," I told Carlisle, looking at the board for the flight number Edward gave me.

He took my hand and pulled me against him. His lips touched the top of my head. "It's all right, beautiful," he murmured. "I won't let them put you down."

I lifted my head to look at him. "Carlisle, no. Please, do not say _anything _that might cause an issue. I can handle their words. I did it for nineteen years."

"But you don't have to anymore. You're strong, Esme. So much stronger than ever before. Let them know that. Show them the amazing strength you have by standing up to them."

I shook my head. "It's not worth it. I won't ruin Edward's wedding. He wanted them here for a reason."

"He wanted them here to prove something. What, I haven't a clue. But not because he actually enjoys their company. He despises your parents."

"He shouldn't. Honestly, it's not like they cut him off and basically told him to fend for himself in life."

"He has his reasons, Esme. Just like you have yours. Most of his are actually because of you. Maybe his reason for wanting them here was to show them how far you've come. Hmm?"

I rolled my eyes. "They won't care."

He looked up at the board. "They're coming off the plane."

"Oh, goodie," I whispered.

We stood, together, at the bottom of the escalators. I saw her first. Elizabeth Masen was… ostentatious. She had her perfectly put-together dressy suit on with her flashy strand of pearls around her neck. And of course, you couldn't miss the shoes. They looked painful. Maybe that was why she walked like she had a stick up her behind. Her head was held high, in perfect Manhattan socialite fashion. She was… a force, to say the least. Behind her stood my father in a suit that probably cost more than what my car was worth. He even had his cell phone in hand. His eyes were trained on it. How the years had changed him. A cell phone… It seemed like a ridiculous notion that he used one.

"That's them," Carlisle whispered.

"Edward Sr. and Elizabeth Masen," I sighed.

The moment my mother's heels clicked on the floor, her eyes met mine. She had a plastered-on fake smile. It looked like it was painful for her to smile… Maybe she should have laid off the Botox.

"Esme Anne," she said, holding her hand out.

I gave her my hand and she squeezed it lightly. "Mother," I said, adding my own fake smile.

"You look wonderful, dear." Say what?

"Thank you. Mother, this is Carlisle Cullen," I introduced, looking up to Carlisle.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Masen." He nodded, shaking her hand lightly.

"Such a gentleman."

"Father," I said as the old man's old eyes zeroed in on mine.

"Esme, thank you for picking us up. Though, we could have taken a town car."

All the way to Forks? Right. "It's no problem. Um, Father, this is Carlisle Cullen."

My father held his hand out and firmly gripped Carlisle's. Awkward introductions were over. Thank God.

"We should go retrieve your bags," Carlisle said, breaking the momentary silence.

I sat in the back next to my mother on the drive back to Forks. She sat properly, her ankle crossed under the other with her hands in her lap. Her fake smile still rested on her face.

"So, Carlisle," my mother started. "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a surgeon, ma'am." Carlisle smiled in the rearview mirror.

My father nodded his head. "Excellent career choice. Have you known Edward long?"

"Almost fifteen years. We met in medical school."

My mother seemed amused. "That's wonderful that you've kept up such a… good friendship. And that you've gotten close to our daughter."

"Esme is a wonderful woman. Amazing, actually."

I was sure I heard my father go "huh", but I didn't say anything. Great, the judgment was starting early.

"Have you been together long, dear?" my mother asked me.

"Since October. So, six months. Time flies," I mused.

"When you're having fun," Carlisle said, smirking as he looked in the mirror at me.

"Well, that's wonderful," Mother said. "You two seem happy."

"Very," I told her.

"So, Forks, Washington… That's a change from New York or Seattle. How was Seattle?"

"It was… nice," I lied. "But I enjoy Forks much more. The small community is like a family."

"Hmm, that sounds… quaint. Do you have a job?"

The dreaded question. "I do, but the one I'm working right now is temporary."

"Oh, you're quitting?" My father asked.

"Actually," Carlisle interrupted. "Esme was offered a position as an art teacher at the local elementary school. The position starts in the fall. I'm so proud of her."

"Art teacher… Edward said you worked as an interior designer. Switch careers again?" he sneered.

"Well, Father, there really wasn't much of a need for a high-priced interior designer in Forks. Besides, I much prefer the idea of teaching."

"Until you find something else that piques your interest. What will it be next time? Hmm?"

"Esme is amazing at whatever she does," Carlisle said.

"So," Mother said, changing the subject. "What's Bella like?"

I smiled. "She's great. She and Eddie are perfect together."

"Eddie? You still call him that?"

"Oh, yes, sometimes."

"Lovely. So what does Bella do?"

"She's a high school English teacher."

"So you got the idea from her," my father said.

I watched Carlisle's grip tighten on the steering wheel.

_Please, don't say anything! _I begged with my eyes.

"Well, to capture Edward's heart, she must be wonderful," Mother said.

"She's a great person. Beautiful inside and out."

"Your hair looks nice."

I played with the ends of it. "Thank you."

My mother was turning out to not be so bad. I was shocked.

"Carlisle, what kind of surgeon are you?" she asked.

"I'm a trained trauma surgeon, but because Forks is so small, I mostly perform general surgeries and work in the ER," he told her.

"But if you're a trained trauma surgeon, shouldn't you be putting that education to use? Why live in a town where you can't use your training?"

"Edward asked me to move to Forks to help out. I just fell in love. I had every intention of moving to Seattle, but I just couldn't." I watched him wink.

"Why on earth would you want to live in Forks? I'm sure Edward could have found someone else."

"Possibly, but Forks has something Seattle doesn't; a beautiful woman who loves me."

"I think I'd choose my career," she said, still fake smile on her face.

I guess I was wrong about that "not so bad".

"So, you work?" he asked.

"I'm on the board of a few charities and organize fundraisers. It's very rewarding."

"What did you do?"

She blinked. "I met Edward Sr. just out of high school. I married him and had children."

"Then why did they need nannies?"

I could _not _believe Carlisle was doing this. He was baiting her.

"I had many things going on in my life. None of which I need to justify to you."

"You said you'd choose your career over love. I was just wondering if you had."

"Well, luckily, I didn't have to."

And that was where the conversation was left. The rest of the long ride was tense. Carlisle had disrespected her. It was unheard of to disrespect Elizabeth Masen. She'd eat you alive, usually. But she left well enough alone once Carlisle did. My father just sat there, watching the forest pass us by as she and Carlisle went back and forth. I felt like it was a thousand degrees inside the car, so at one point, I cracked my window. I was quickly told to shut it by my father.

Once we pulled up to my house, I just about leapt from the car. I felt nauseated and dizzy from the anxiety pumping through my body. That had to have been the worst car ride ever. I firmly believed I may have jumped out of the moving car if anyone spoke again. Thank God they didn't. Carlisle had remained focused on the road with his hands gripping the wheel. My father went from looking at his phone to looking out the window some more. My mother just sat there — fake freaking smile glued to her face. I wanted to slap it off.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asked as I helped him retrieve their bags from his trunk.

"I told you not to say anything."

"I… couldn't let them just say stuff like that."

"Trust me; that was nothing."

"Which concerns me even more, beautiful. Are you sure you can handle this?"

"The wedding is tonight and they go home tomorrow. They'll be here for all of twenty-four hours. I'll be fine."

He sighed, pulling one of the large bags out and setting it on the ground. "Okay, but I'm here for you."

"Get that off the ground!" Mother shrieked.

Oops. I guess ridiculously expensive luggage wasn't supposed to touch the driveway. I bet she would have had an aneurysm if she knew what those airline workers did with it.

"My apologies," Carlisle said, lifting it up. I saw the small smirk that played on his lips.

Once my parents were settled, we said our goodbyes until this evening. We would be back at six to pick them up for the small wedding. The second we were in the car, I slumped down in the seat and let out a huge breath.

"You know, I could tell you how to fake appendicitis symptoms," Carlisle said, smirking. "It'd get us both out of the wedding."

I laughed. "Yes, but Edward would be pissed when he found out we were lying."

"I think he'd understand if he knew how that car ride went."

"Twenty-four hours… I can do it. Once they leave, though, I expect a huge bottle of the nicest wine you can find… and chocolates. Lots and lots of nice chocolates."

"I'll even throw in a foot massage."

"Add a back massage, please? Remember, I had to deal with that for nineteen years."

He nodded, smiling. "Beautiful, whatever you want, you got."

"Thank you for coming with today. I probably would have driven us off the ferry if I had been alone," I said as we drove toward his house.

"So even though I missed work, I saved four lives. I'll put that in the win column." He chuckled.

I tilted my head. "Four?"

"Well, do you think I could have gone on without you?" he teased.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Sweet, very sweet."

He lifted my hand and kissed the back of it. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

I went straight into Carlisle's bedroom and face-planted into the mattress. Stress exhausted me. I slowly crawled up and rested my head against the pillow. My eyes began flickering when Carlisle lay down beside me.

"Sleep, beautiful. I'll set an alarm for an hour. How does that sound?"

"That'll be four o'clock, right?"

"Yes." He kissed my forehead.

"Okay, but we have to get up. We cannot be late."

"We won't be."

I lifted my head and kissed his lips before turning on my side and snuggling into him. He pulled a blanket over us after setting the alarm on his phone. I drifted to sleep, listening to his heartbeat and breathing.

"Esme, it's four," Carlisle said, kissing my temple over and over.

I held him tighter. "I don't want to go. Tell me how to fake appendicitis."

I felt his chuckle. "I thought you said Edward would be pissed if he found out we were lying?"

"Maybe we're not lying. I am nauseated."

"That's anxiety, darling." He kissed me again. "I hate that your parents do this to you. It's not right."

I shook my head. "No, it's not, but what can I do?"

"Stand up for yourself?"

I looked up to him. "You don't understand. I _can't_."

"I think you'd find it feels wonderful to stand up and say when someone is mistreating you, like they have all your life."

"Please, Carlisle, not right now, okay? I just… can't. Accept it."

He nodded as I pulled away and slid off the bed. "I love you, Esme. And I'll always love you. You should handle this however you feel is best. I'm sorry."

I leaned down and kissed him. "It's okay. Just let me handle it. Keep your mouth shut tonight, mister. Got it?"

He smirked, nodding. "Yes, ma'am."

I quickly showered and let Carlisle have his bathroom. I went to the small mirror over his dresser and pulled my hair into a loose updo and curled the little pieces that framed my face. I pinned most of the pieces back and sprayed on the hairspray to keep it in place. After adding the touch of makeup, I looked to the bathroom door where Carlisle emerged with a towel around his waist.

"I just need to get my suit," he said. "And then I'll stay in the bathroom until you're dressed."

"It's fine." I grinned. "I like the show."

He chuckled, grabbing the garment bag off the bed. "Don't tempt me. Otherwise, we'll be late and Edward won't be happy."

I sighed. "Oh, well… I guess I shouldn't drop my robe."

He walked over to me and leaned down, kissing my lips. "No, because then we'd never leave."

"True. I love you."

"I love you, too."

Once he was back in the bathroom, I unzipped my garment bag and pulled the blue dress out. The dress was perfect for the simple wedding. Bella didn't care if people matched and didn't want anything fancy. The dress had a single strap with ruffles over the right shoulder that went down the left side of the bodice. The hem fell just above my knees. Bella, Rose, and I all had gone shopping in Seattle a few weeks ago for all the clothing for the wedding. I fell in love with this one. And I was pretty positive Carlisle would too.

I called out to Carlisle that I was done, and he came out of the bathroom in his suit. The man could wear a suit like no other. He looked… perfectly put together. The black material molded to him. He wore a blue tie that somewhat matched my dress. As far as I knew, it was unplanned, but then again, I wouldn't have put it past Rose to tell him which color to wear.

"You look so very handsome," I told him, smiling as I walked over to him.

He took my lips. "And you look divine," he whispered.

"I like the tie color."

He smirked. "Rose."

"Ah-ha, why am I not surprised?"

"She is the maid of honor, and I believe she takes that role very seriously. I was informed that I had to wear this tie, or else."

"Frightening." I laughed.

"A terrifying Rose is terrifying."

"Well," I said, looking at the clock. "I guess we should go pick my parents up."

"Yes, I suppose we should. Once again, you're gorgeous."

He kissed me again and I placed my hand on his face, holding him for a moment. His hand trailed down my backside as our lips moved in sync. We separated a touch and I sighed peacefully into his mouth. He pecked my lips once more before we parted.

My parents were ready and waiting for us by the time we arrived in my driveway. I got out to go get them, but they just walked out the door. Of course, they were dressed as proper as could be.

"You're late," my mother said.

"We said we'd be here at six. It's six-oh-two," I told her.

"Well, I should have expected."

I rolled my eyes as we walked back to the car. The ride was silent, spare our breathing. It was fine by me. No talking meant no snide remarks. When we pulled up to the church, my parents seemed less than impressed by the old building.

"They're getting married here?" Mother asked.

"Yes, Mother."

"A church? Edward is getting married in a church?"

"Yes, Mother, he is. Is there a problem with that?"

She shook her head. "Surprising is all. Last time I checked, Edward didn't believe in God."

"Well, I guess people change."

Edward quickly greeted our parents and introduced them to Bella. I watched as my mother just judged her. She had that look. I couldn't describe it, but I could tell she was already judging. Bella didn't deserve to be judged by my mother. She was so sweet and so kind. But my mother wouldn't see that. She'd see Bella wasn't exceedingly gorgeous and decide she wasn't good enough for Edward. It wasn't fair, but my mother wasn't fair. My father didn't seem to be impressed, either. Probably because he knew what Bella did for a living.

I hated watching it, and I could tell Edward did, too. His nostrils were starting to flare with their questioning. His hand in Bella's tightened as his other clenched into a fist. Suddenly, he pulled Bella close to his side and kissed the top of her head.

"He's getting defensive," Carlisle said. "I'm surprised he hasn't blown up yet."

I shook my head. "He won't. Edward doesn't like our parents either, but he'd never disrespect them in public."

Edward turned his head to me, hiding behind Bella's hair. He mouthed "I'm sorry", and then lifted his head back to our parents. I just sighed and leaned into Carlisle. Truthfully, I just wanted to shake Edward and ask him what the hell he was thinking by inviting them here. They hadn't even been here a full day and had already overstayed their welcome — which lasted about five seconds from the time they stepped off the escalator in the airport.

"Let's go. The wedding is about to start," Carlisle said, pulling my hand and leading me to the doors.

I took my seat in the front row and Emmett sat down beside me with Andy. Since Carlisle and Rose were actually part of the wedding, we decided to keep each other company.

"Hi there, little man. Aren't you getting so big!" I said, smiling, holding my hands out for Andy. He was almost seven months old and such a beautiful boy.

Emmett passed him to me. "Be good for Auntie Esme, buddy," he said, kissing the boy's cheek.

I sat Andy on my lap, facing me. He was all smiles as he tried to wiggle his way off my lap. I played with him a little until I watched my parents walking toward me. They sat down beside me without a word. I turned Andy in my lap and kissed his head.

"Watch this," Emmett said, putting his hand against Andy's belly. He tickled him and Andy squirmed and laughed so loud. It was the cutest thing.

"Da-da!" Andy giggled.

"Oh, my!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah," Emmett laughed. "He just started it. Rose is a little peeved he'll only say 'da-da' and not 'ma-ma', but the kid's seven months old, what can you expect?"

"That's fantastic. Aren't you just a smart one?" I kissed his forehead again. "Such a special boy."

"Yeah, my little man isn't so little," Emmett said. "For such a premature baby, he's actually bigger than the doctor expected. She was shocked to see how big he had gotten during the last visit."

"I imagine. I guess it just goes to show how strong he is." I smiled.

Soon enough, the music started playing and Edward stood in front of everyone with a smile on his face. I waved Andy's hand, and Eddie laughed. He looked so confident. He was ready for this. I was sure of it.

I heard the doors open and turned my head just as Carlisle and Rose began walking down the aisle — her arm through his. I was jealous of Rose. Well, not actually 'chick, take your hand off my man' jealous. I was just jealous that she got to walk down the aisle with him. Lucky. I still couldn't get over how magnificent he looked in that suit.

The doors opened once more to reveal Bella and Charlie. She looked wonderful in her dress. It was simple — no frills or over-the-top train. Just a beautiful, simple gown that fit her perfectly. I looked across the aisle to see her mother, Renee, wipe her eyes. I then looked up to Edward and found him entranced by her. His eyes were glued to hers. It was so special to watch.

Once Carlisle took his place beside Edward, he winked at me. I giggled softly. His hand went in his pocket and he pulled out the rings — to be sure he had them. I made sure they were in there before we left his house. He placed them back in his pocket and returned to watching Bella walk down the aisle.

I had to admit, I got a little teary-eyed watching my older brother say "I do". But he and Bella were as happy as could be. When they kissed, everyone applauded, but Edward didn't let her lips go. He dipped her and we all laughed. Such an Eddie thing to do. My parents didn't seem very amused, though.

Stick up their behinds, remember?

I gave a quick hug to my brother and his new wife after passing Andy to his momma. I told them both congratulations as they went on their way, thanking everyone for coming. Carlisle took my hand and pulled me into his arms. I lifted my head and he kissed my lips.

"You did great up there," I told him. "I'm so proud you didn't lose the rings." I smirked.

"Well, I had a wonderful person keeping track of them," he laughed. "Come on, it's cake time."

"Actually, it's dinner time, and then cake time."

Before we ate, Edward gave a nice little toast. I couldn't stop smiling as I watched him and Bella. They were so in love… so ready to start their life together. I honestly couldn't express how happy I was for him. I just knew the moment I met Bella that she and Edward were perfect for each other. They just… worked. It was as if they were made for one another. She was kind and shy, and he was… not. He could get angry at a moment's notice, and she could calm him down just as quickly. She was yin to his yang, if that made sense. So different, but they just fit together.

Before Edward and Bella had their first dance, I had to make a stop in the bathroom. My mascara had run a little as I watched my big brother and Bella. As I fixed my make-up in the mirror, my mother came in.

"Beautiful wedding," she said.

I smiled. "It was. I'm glad it all came together."

"Are you and Carlisle thinking of marriage? You know, by the time I was your age, I was married and had a son."

"Yes, Mother, I know. Carlisle has brought marriage up, and so have I. But we've only been dating six months. It's a little soon."

"Well, you're not getting any younger."

My eyes widened at her comment. I'm twenty-seven! "Excuse me?"

She just smiled. "It's not like you have a career holding you back."

I lost it. Plain and simple; I was done. Carlisle was right. It was time I stood up for myself. "Do you even listen to yourself when you speak? Honestly, Mother, what the hell?"

She was taken aback. "Watch your language. I am your mother."

I scoffed. "My mother? A mother nurtures and loves. She doesn't hire a nanny so that she doesn't have to take care of her own children. You are not a mother. Giving birth doesn't make you that. You know what makes someone a mother? Telling their children they love them. Taking them to school and watching whatever silly production of some musical they're in, just because they're in it! Being there when that child needs someone, no matter how old they are. Picking up the pieces after someone breaks them! That's a mother!" I yelled. "You are nothing but a snobby bitch," I spat, "who cares more about herself than her children!"

"Esme Ann Masen!" she yelled back.

I pointed my finger in her face. "Don't you dare try to say a word. I have put up with you and Father's snide remarks since you got here. I'm not a lawyer or a doctor! Shame on me. But now, I've finally decided what I want to do. I want to be a teacher. I want to show children the joys of art."

"Art," she sneered.

"Yes, art. Have you ever seen a child light up when they've drawn something? It's beautiful. I see teenagers every day that come into the front office and show me this amazing drawing they've done. They're so talented. I want to help nurture that. And I'm going to, starting August 22nd."

"It's a silly career choice, Esme."

"To you! Not to me! I've spent a long time trying to figure out what I want with my life. And now, I know. I'm not going to let you put me down for that!"

"I expected better out of you. Your father and I expected a daughter we could be proud of. You weren't that. I am ashamed when my friends ask me about you. Do you know that? Ashamed! It's embarrassing. Here, we have an amazing son who did something with his life, and then we have _you_."

"Oh, screw you. I'm done. Get out of my house by tomorrow morning. I never want to see you again."

I turned to walk away, but she kept going. "Your house?" she laughed. "You mean your brother's house that he gave you. You could never afford that house. Well, unless your new boyfriend buys it for you. Now that your brother is married, you found someone else to sponge off of. Poor man, too. I just hope he realizes that you're not worth it, sooner rather than later."

My blood boiled. It took all of my strength not to turn around and slap her. I just said, "Goodbye," and walked out of the bathroom, fighting tears.

I couldn't go back into the reception like this, so I went back into the sanctuary and sat down on one of the pews. Tears began falling. I couldn't stop them. I felt like a weight had been lifted by giving her a piece of my mind, but it really only made everything worse. Her words were vicious.

"Esme," Carlisle said. "What are you doing in here? I've been looking everywhere for you. So has Edward."

"Oh, no," I cried. "I've ruined his wedding."

He sat down beside me and took my hand. "No, beautiful, we were just worried about you. What's wrong?"

"My mother… is horrible."

"Esme, what did she do?"

I wiped my tears. "I did it. I confronted her, but it just blew up in my face. Now I've ruined everything."

He put his arm around me and pulled me close. "Shh, that's not true at all. Talk to me, darling. What did she say?"

I shook my head. "It doesn't even matter. I'm done. If I never see her again, I'd be perfectly content. I said my piece."

He kissed my forehead. "Well, I'm proud of you for standing up to her, but I don't like seeing you like this. I'm so sorry."

"I can't believe I told my mother off. I called her a… snobby bitch."

"That's putting it nicely, if you ask me."

I smirked lightly. "That's not very nice."

He shook his head. "She did this to you. I don't have to be nice."

I sighed. "I love you."

"I love you too, beautiful." He kissed my head again.

He held me as I gathered my emotions and put on a brave face. He wiped under my eyes to get rid of the mascara for me. He kissed my cheeks once he was done and said I was good to go. As we walked, hand in hand, out of the sanctuary, I took a deep breath and put a smile on my face. Honestly, it wasn't a forced smile. Carlisle's sweet words really did it for me. Nothing could keep me from smiling when he called me such names.

"There you are!" Edward exclaimed, rushing to us. "Where have you been?"

"Your mother," Carlisle started, with his eyes on my mother across the room, "needs to leave. I'm sorry, Edward, but she's crossed a line."

Eddie's face fell. "What did she do to you, sissy?"

I shook my head. "I stood up for myself. She didn't take too kindly."

"Oh," his eyebrows lifted, "good for you. I guess she and Father can go ahead and leave. If you'll excuse me."

Our parents weren't exactly hurt that they were told to leave. They didn't seem to care much either way. Edward told me they'd be out of my house tonight. They were calling a car service and going to Seattle. Once they left, Edward and Bella started their first dance as husband and wife as Carlisle and I watched.

"And so the sweet, timid lamb fell in love with the brash, foul-mouthed lion," I said, with a smile. "And yet, I have no doubts that they'll last forever."

"Me either," Carlisle agreed. "It's the beginning of a new chapter in all of our lives."

I nodded. "I wonder what'll happen next." I looked up to him. "I'm seriously hoping for a positive pregnancy test, and me getting a niece or nephew."

He just laughed before kissing my lips.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Thank you all so much for the reviews! As always, reviewers get a teaser. And oh boy, do I have a good one all ready and waiting =)

In other news, I have signed up to donate an outtake to Fandom For Texas. To read it, please donate and help Texas. Compilation will be sent out after November 1st.

Here's the website. Just replace the words with their symbols and remove the spaces.

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**Please Review…**


	23. 23rd Chapter

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and** MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

"Carlisle, this is beautiful," Esme said, gazing at our new home as we stood in front of it.

The house itself looked quite common. A nice two-story, traditional home with a two car garage. But I knew it was perfect for us. Esme didn't like over-the-top, and neither did I. Simple was what we wanted. While the basic design was planned out before Esme and I were together, she decided on the finishing touches — the stone siding, the color, all the windows and doors, and every other minor detail that went into building a home. She made it into something we could share and start our lives together in — somewhere we could hopefully start a family.

I smiled. "You did amazing," I told her.

She looked up at me. "Thank you for letting me help. It just looks so great, doesn't it? So… perfect."

I nodded and pulled a small box out of my pocket. "It's our home. Here," I said, taking her hand and giving her the box.

She grinned. "Keys?"

"Open it." She opened the box and pulled out her set of keys. "So, live with me?" I asked.

She laughed softly. "Like I could say no."

"Wonderful. Do you want to do the honors?"

She nodded and put her key in the door, unlocking it. I stopped her from walking in, though. I quickly swept her off of her feet and into my arms. She let out a high-pitched squeal I could only describe as adorable.

"Carlisle!"

"What? I'm supposed to carry you over the threshold, right?"

She rolled her eyes and laughed. "Always the romantic."

I beamed. "Well, of course."

I walked through the door with her in my arms. The house was still bare of any furniture, but it already looked homey. The walls were painted in rich, warm, inviting colors and the light from the windows just led us in.

"Oh, Carlisle," she said, wide-eyed. "It came together so well."

"Of course, it did. You picked it all out."

Her smile would always be etched in my mind. "Thank you. Truly, this means the world to me. It's our home."

"It is." I nodded. "We'll be happy here for many years to come."

She sighed and rested her hand on my cheek, pulling my face down to hers. Our lips met and our tongues entwined. I never wanted to let her go.

In the days that followed, the furniture Esme and I had picked out was delivered and positioned just where we wanted it in our home. We officially moved in on July 7th. Esme spent days putting the finishing touches on everything. The house was beyond words perfect. Her gift for decorating showed in every inch of our home.

I came home from work one evening and found her in the kitchen. She was so wrapped up in whatever she was doing she hadn't heard me come in. She was moving around so elegantly, adding spices or something to a pot. Her apron swayed with her as she moved. I just leaned against the doorway and watched the most beautiful woman doing what she loved.

"Honey, I'm home," I called out as she twirled around with a smile on her face.

"Carlisle, I didn't hear you. But I'm glad you're home. Taste this." She put a spoon in the pot and blew on it softly with her other hand under it.

I walked closer and leaned down as she put the piece in my mouth. It was delicious, but didn't seem like the right time of year for it. "Vegetable soup?"

She nodded. "How does it taste?"

"Amazing."

"Good, because Edward and Bella are coming over for dinner. They have news to share." She grinned.

"News?"

She nodded. "Vegetable soup is one of Edward's favorites, and I wanted to butter him up. I better be that child's godmother."

I laughed. "That might not be the news, beautiful. Don't get too excited."

"Oh, it's the news. I just know it. I could hear it in his voice."

"Well, he did take the day off because he said he and Bella had something to do in Port Angeles. You never know."

"They are! I just know it! I bet they went to the doctor."

I chuckled at her enthusiasm. "Well, if they are, I highly doubt anyone but you would be chosen as godmother."

"And you as godfather. I can't wait for another baby!"

"You know, I didn't get a kiss." I pouted.

She put the spoon down and placed her hand against my face. "Poor you. Come here."

I pressed our lips together with a smile. I pulled her against me and ran my hand through the back of her hair, caressing her skin softly. She giggled against my lips. She was a bit ticklish there, and I knew it. I just loved getting that giggle out of her.

I went upstairs to our bedroom to change as she finished up dinner. Edward and Bella were supposed to arrive soon, and I wanted to be a little more comfortable, so I put on jeans and a t-shirt.

By the time I got back downstairs, I saw Edward's Volvo pulling into our driveway.

"They're here, beautiful," I called.

"I'm coming!"

She hurried into foyer with a grin as she pulled her apron off. She ran back to the kitchen to hang it up, forgetting to do so in her excitement. I hoped for Edward and Bella's sakes, they were, in fact, expecting. Otherwise, Esme would be sorely disappointed, and they'd never hear the end of her asking when she was getting a niece or nephew.

I opened the door and greeted Edward with a handshake and Bella with a hug before Esme pulled Edward into her own hug. He kissed her cheek with a laugh, and then she went to Bella. Her eyes were on Bella's stomach. Obviously, she knew she wouldn't see anything yet anyway, but she couldn't help herself.

"Dinner is done, but if you want to tell us your news first, it can wait," Esme said, with a grin.

"Dinner first, sissy," Edward laughed. "Our news can wait."

I tried to hide my chuckle as Esme looked a little disappointed. "Let's go, beautiful," I whispered in her ear, putting my hand on the small of her back.

"You guys go ahead into the dining room. I'll grab the food," Esme told us.

"I'll help," Bella volunteered.

Esme shook her head. "You relax. It's only soup and bread."

"Oh, that sounds perfect," Bella said.

Esme smirked, knowingly.

"Vegetable soup?" Edward asked.

"Yes, I know what you like, Eddie."

Edward and Bella sat down in the dining room as I went into the kitchen. Esme was putting the bowls on a tray, but she couldn't find room for the plate of bread.

"I'll take it," I said. "And you are getting extremely excited. Beautiful, that may not be their news."

She gave me a look. "It is. They just need to hurry up and spill it. I can't take this much longer."

I chuckled. "Whatever you say, dear."

I carried the tray for her as she grabbed the plate of bread. Edward and Bella were whispering and smiling. Now they were just messing with Esme. Clearly, they were expecting, or being very cruel and teasing Esme.

As we ate, Edward asked me about the hospital and if anything interesting had happened today.

I nodded. "I had an appendectomy just before lunch. Other than that, not much. We were on the slow side."

"Good. I would have hated to leave you swamped. Seeing as how you're looking at the new chief of staff, I should care about those things," he said, grinning.

I watched Esme's face fall with his reveal.

"Congratulations, Edward. That's great," I said.

There had been talk about the current chief stepping down, but nothing had been made public. Obviously, Edward was first choice. He had come into the hospital and turned things around, bringing in more patients and, of course, adding a new surgeon to the staff. He would make an excellent chief.

"Yeah, and it's great timing, too. I just put all of my trust fund into a savings and college account last week. So we need the money," he laughed.

Esme squealed. "You're having a baby!"

Bella patted her tummy. "Yep, I'm eight weeks pregnant. You're going to be an aunt."

Esme stood up from her seat and hugged Bella tightly. "This is great news. I just knew it!"

Edward laughed. "Yeah, and for a second there, I had you going that my being chief was our big news."

She let go of Bella and hugged Edward. "Well, congratulations for that, too. But a baby! That's the most wonderful news."

"It is," he agreed. "And very unexpected."

"You should have seen his face!" Bella said. "I thought he was going to pass out. It was hilarious."

I laughed. "I wish you had videotaped that."

"Oh, me too. It would have been great to watch over and over. He was speechless for a good minute or so. Then he got down on his knees and pressed his ear to my stomach. Like he could hear anything," she laughed. "He started talking to it."

"It was a normal reaction. People do that," Edward defended.

"That's so sweet!" Esme said. "So, did you see a doctor today?"

Bella nodded. "Yes, and my due date is February 12th."

"That's wonderful," I said. "I'm so happy for you two."

"Thank you," she said. "It wasn't planned, but I think we're both pretty happy."

"I knew it wouldn't take long," Esme said. "I just had a feeling."

Edward laughed. "So we have you to thank. Were you secretly rooting for it?"

"Secretly?" I asked, laughing. "More like begging. The day of your wedding she said she couldn't wait for you two to get pregnant and give her a niece or nephew."

"I'm thinking niece," he said. "I can just feel it."

"Huh," Bella said. "I'm pretty sure you're wrong. It's a boy. I know it."

The two of them went back and forth. Edward said he was right and even went as far as wanting to bet on it. I would laugh if he was wrong, but he called it for Rose and Emmett, as well. He said it was a boy when they told him.

* * *

><p>August 22nd came, and Esme couldn't have been more excited. She had spent the week before school started setting up her new classroom. I went to the school one day during lunch so she could show me what she had done. She brought some of her own paintings that she had done just for the classroom in and hung them on the walls. Little farm animals hung in frames. It was very nice. The classroom fit her perfectly.<p>

"What do you think?" she asked as I set the bag of food down on her desk.

"It's great, beautiful. You did an amazing job. I bet the kids love it."

"They seem to. It was just so outdated before, you know? I wanted to make it my own. I really like it."

"It's great." I leaned down and kissed her lips. "It's very you."

She smiled. "I'm loving this. These kids are so sweet. A few are a little… rambunctious, but overall, they're very good."

"That's great. So I brought lunch — Subway. Is that okay?"

"Sounds delicious. Let me get you a big boy chair," she laughed, pulling an actual chair over to her desk.

As we ate, she told me all about her day so far. She was glowing as she spoke of the children. She showed me a few pictures that the kids had drawn. Apparently, it was draw what you wanted day. The drawings were… obviously done by young children, but they were cute. Esme couldn't stop talking about them.

In a year and a half, everything in Esme's life had changed. She now knew what her future held — what she wanted. She wasn't in a relationship that was unhealthy, and she wasn't just going through the motions. She was living, and she was enjoying it. She was really smiling. This time last year, she rarely smiled, and it was never like this. I watched her go from broken to healed. I helped her and that just made me indescribably happy.

It wasn't just her life that was made better by her moving here. Before Esme, I wasn't living. I was quite miserable, actually. I wasn't happy with my life and it showed in my attitude. Edward had noticed it, and he said something about it.

"How's Esme?" he asked once I got back to work.

I smiled. "She's great. As happy as can be. We ate, and she showed me the drawings the kids did. She glowed."

"You're doing a little 'glowing' of your own, Carlisle. I'm glad that you're finally happy. As much as I didn't like it at first, you and Esme belong together. I'm sorry I put tension on that."

"You were just concerned. She's your sister; you had every right."

"Well, it's pretty fucking obvious you're not going to hurt her, so it was really wrong of me. You two are perfect for each other in a messed-up kind of way."

I laughed. "Thanks. I think."

"Dysfunctional works." He shrugged. "Look at Bella and me. We're getting ready to have a kid, and I have no idea what the hell I'm supposed to do."

"You'll be a great father. Just be opposite of your own, and you'll do fine."

"That's the plan. Loving the kid is probably a good start. I have that down. I think Bella is actually getting a little annoyed by my nightly conversations with our daughter."

"You know, you could be wrong. It might be a boy."

He rolled his eyes. "I know these things. I have like a sixth sense or some shit. It's a girl. I'm having a daughter."

"Does Bella still think it's a boy?"

"Yeah, but she's coming to terms with the fact I'm right. We'll find out in four weeks. I can't believe she's already in her second trimester. This past month has flown by."

"It has. Pretty soon you'll be holding your child, and then Esme will steal it from you," I laughed.

"Well, at least I know we have a babysitter." He smirked.

I got home late that night, so Esme was already upstairs in bed. I had an emergency surgery come in after talking to Edward. It took a few hours, but my being late wasn't new to Esme. She said it didn't bother her. It wasn't like it happened often, so she didn't care. She said my work was important, and I needed to take care of people.

"You look tired," she said, glancing up from her book.

"Exhausted," I said, pulling my scrub top off. I hadn't even bothered changing back into my street clothes.

"Aw, come here; I'll make it better." She smiled, patting the bed.

I lay down on my stomach over the foot of the bed. She climbed on top of me and started kneading my shoulders. Her hands did wonderful things to my body, and she knew it.

"How was the surgery? Everything go okay?" she asked.

"Uh-huh… Oh, right there," I groaned as she found _that_ spot. "The patient is doing fine. We'll send him to Seattle tomorrow. He needs to rest tonight."

"Good. You're tense. Am I doing okay?"

"God, yes. Just keep doing what you're doing. Actually, go a little lower, please?"

She giggled softly. "Can do."

She moved down from sitting on my back. Her hands worked the muscles and had me making sounds that she apparently liked. She leaned down and kissed my shoulder.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too."

"Turn over," she demanded.

Hmm, all right then. "Yes, ma'am," I chuckled.

She got off of me, and I turned onto my back. Her hands undid the knot on my scrub bottoms, and I lifted up so she could tug them down. She was a woman on a mission. Who was I to stop her?

She had a mischievous grin on her lips. It was extremely sexy. She took me into her hand and began moving up and down.

"Jesus," I hissed.

We hadn't had sex in about a week, so I was ready. I wanted _her_ around me, not her hand. I lifted my hand to her face and pulled her lips to mine. Passionately, I kissed her with all I had. She kept moving her hand in the perfect motion. It felt amazing, but it wasn't what I wanted. I grasped her hand and made her stop.

She pulled her lips from mine. "What's wrong?"

"I want you," I said, flipping over and pushing her down to the bed.

She giggled as my lips attached to her neck. I removed her small nightgown and slid my hand down her stomach. She wasn't wearing panties. She had this planned. God, I loved that. I smirked to myself as I moved my finger against her clit and she moaned. Her head went back farther, and I kissed her neck again before moving back to her lips.

She wrapped her leg around my waist, opening herself up for me. Silently, we came to the conclusion that foreplay wasn't exactly necessary. We missed each other. We _wanted_ each other. I pushed into her and started slowly. One of her hands went to my hair, as the other one held onto my arm. She moved her hips with my motion, meeting me with each thrust. I moved a hand back to her clit and rubbed small circles.

"Yes," she cried, pulling my hair a little.

I smiled and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you… too! Don't… yes… don't stop."

I moved my fingers a little faster as I picked up my pace. I was close, she was close, and so it was only a matter of time. As I came, I rubbed faster, getting her there. She cried out that beautiful sound I loved. She panted softly as I pulled out. She sighed peacefully after a few moments and pushed her hand against my shoulder, wanting me to turn over. When I did, she rested her head against my chest.

I looked down at her peaceful smile. "You're gorgeous and amazing. That was just what I needed," I said, kissing her forehead.

"Mmm, yes. Thank you. I hope you weren't too tired."

"I'm pretty sure I wasn't," I chuckled.

She traced her fingers over my chest and kissed me. "I love you," she sighed.

"I love you, too. More than anything in the world."

* * *

><p>I had waited the appropriate amount of time. A year… I had been with her for a year. I knew right away I wanted to marry her, but that wasn't the right time to ask, obviously. So I planned it for the anniversary of our first date. Same restaurant… just a year later. I wanted everything to be perfect, so I — once again — enlisted Bella and Rosalie's help. I had called the restaurant and told them of my plans. I even reserved the same table. I took Rose and Bella with me to buy the ring. I needed a woman's opinion. And two was even better.<p>

I was out of my element in the Seattle Tiffany's store. I had bought jewelry for Esme before. Her necklace and a bracelet for her birthday in June, but it was daunting knowing I was trying to find a ring that she'd hopefully wear for the rest of our life together. I didn't want to get the wrong one. She deserved amazing, and that was what I intended to buy her.

I had an amount in mind, but if the perfect ring was over that, I had no issues changing it. And from the looks of these rings, I knew I probably would be paying more than I planned. As long as it was perfect, I didn't care. I'd make it work.

A saleswoman quickly found us as I looked in a jewelry case. She and Rose talked back and forth about carat weight and cuts… Things I had no clue about. Bella was just looking with me, showing me ones she found beautiful. There was one I really liked, but I just wasn't sure. I asked the saleswoman to get it out for me. The moment I had it in my hand, I knew. The band was studded with small diamonds and a large solitaire was perched in the middle held in place by four prongs.

"Is it too much?" I asked, showing it to Rose and Bella.

"Too much? There's no such thing," Rose laughed.

"Yes, there is. But Carlisle," Bella started, "this is perfect. It's Esme. It's simple, but elegant. And the band is amazing."

"It's one of my favorites," the saleswoman said.

"This is it. This is Esme's engagement ring," I said, admiring the piece in my hand. I couldn't wait to slip it on her finger.

There was another reason I had asked for Bella and Rose's help. They could cleverly ask Esme's ring size, and she wasn't the wiser. Apparently, they just had a little talk at lunch a few days ago. Rose had Esme try on her ring. It was too big, so she just asked what size Esme happened to wear — a six. She had small hands, so it wasn't surprising.

On the day exactly, I took Esme to dinner under the assumption that I wanted to celebrate a year together. She didn't act like she suspected anything. Though, I was sure she might. That was the problem with asking her on this date. She might have known something was up.

She looked unbelievable in a dark violet dress with her hair down — so damn gorgeous that I didn't want to take my eyes off of her to drive. I stole glances often. She caught me a few times.

"A year," she sighed, looking over at me with a smile. "I can't believe it."

"Me either. It feels like just yesterday I had you against a door when your brother found us," I teased.

She laughed. "One of our finest moments."

"Indeed," I said. "But seriously, this has been the best year of my life. I've gotten to spend it with the most amazing woman." I lifted her hand and kissed the top of it, keeping my eyes on the road.

Once we arrived at the restaurant, I took Esme's hand and led her inside. She had such a beautiful smile on her face as we were led back to the table where our first date took place. I pulled her chair out and kissed her cheek once she was seated. She whispered "thank you" as I pushed her chair in.

As we ate, we talked about our day. She told me about the kids at school and asked about my patients. I could have listened to her talk about those kids for hours; she just lit up. The conversation soon turned to Edward and Bella. She wanted to talk about the baby — who we now knew was, in fact, a girl. We found this out two days ago. Esme was already looking online at little girl clothing. She loved the thought of a little girl to spoil like only an aunt could do. I was quite excited, as well. When Edward and Bella told us the baby was a girl, they also asked us to be godparents. I was going to be that little girl's godfather. Esme wasn't the only one wanting someone to spoil. I bought my first teddy bear yesterday, actually. It had a pink bow on it.

"I can't believe they won't tell us her name. And yet, they say they have one picked out. How mean is that?" Esme laughed. "I'm dying to know."

"Well, hopefully it's nothing strange," I said, chuckling lightly.

"Edward wouldn't do that. Maybe they just want it to be a surprise."

"Or," I started, "maybe they're naming her after you."

Her eyes grew wide. "No. Just… no. He hasn't said anything like that, has he?"

"No, but that would be a beautiful name to give her. Though, I wish we could save that for ours."

She blushed. "We're not naming our child after me. Got it? Besides, we're having a boy and naming him Carlisle." She joked.

"No, if we can't name a girl after you, then we're not naming a boy after me."

She huffed. "Fine… Original names only." She looked like she was thinking for a moment before her next reply. "Carlisle, why are we even talking about this?"

"It started with the baby's name."

"I know, but why are we talking about our child's name? It just seems pointless."

"What do you mean? We'll have children someday. It's nice to dream about it now."

"I suppose so," she murmured. "It is nice to dream about."

"You know," I started, suddenly feeling it was the perfect time, "why do we have to dream about it? We can make it a reality."

She rolled her eyes. "Are you telling me you want to go home and start trying to make a baby?"

"Well, you'd have to come off the birth control, and we'd have to wait for a bit, so we can't start tonight. Though, I hope we can practice tonight." I quirked an eyebrow at her.

She laughed. "Carlisle! We're in a restaurant."

"I know." The ring felt heavy in my pocket as I stood. "But a little practice never hurt anyone. Besides, I'd hope you'd want to practice tonight."

I stood next to her and took her hand. "Carlisle?" she asked. "What are you doing?"

"Beautiful, the moment I laid eyes on you ten years ago, I felt something. I saw a glimpse of the future. I was looking at a seventeen year old, yes, but that wasn't what I _saw_. I saw the most beautiful woman in the world. She was shy around me and refused to allow me to see her drawings. She had a crush on me," I said, smirking.

Her blush grew. "Possibly."

"Well, I had a crush on her, too. I dreamed about her, but then the years started passing. I never saw her again, which was a shame because I wanted to. Then, nine years later, she appeared out of thin air and captured my heart. I loved her so quickly… Esme, I loved _you _so quickly."

She swallowed thickly as her eyes filled with tears. "Carlisle," she whispered.

"I've waited — for what seems like eternity — for the perfect time to ask you this." I kneeled down and pulled the blue box from my pocket. She gasped. "I want you to be mine forever… And I want to be yours forever. I want to start a family with you and spend years by your side. I want to grow old with you. Esme, would do me the extraordinary honor of becoming my wife?"

I took the ring from the box, and then took her left hand in mine. A tear fell onto her cheek as I slid the ring on her perfect finger. She stayed silent. I was hoping she was just speechless.

"Please Esme, say something," I laughed.

"Carlisle… Of course, I'll marry you!"

She threw her arms around my neck as we stood up together. I took her lips and kissed her with such passion. Clapping erupted in the small restaurant, but I couldn't care less about what was happening around us.

Our lips parted for a brief moment and she said, "Yes, oh yes, Carlisle."

She said yes.

We were getting married.

Our life together was just beginning.

She said _yes._

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Everyone get your hankies because this was the last "actual" chapter of You Redeem Me. We have two epilogues, and then I'll be hitting the complete button at exactly 25 chapters. Fear not! I have an outtake that's being written for Fandom for Texas, which you can read by donating. Site link is on my profile with the banner for the outtake. It's pretty much awesome. That is all.

We'll talk about what's next for me at the end of chapter 25. Or if you ever want to read something else of mine, She is Love is waiting for you. That story has a sequel that's currently a WIP called Love Remains the Same.

So… Did you like the chapter? Reviewers get a teaser of the 1st epilogue. Thank you all so much for reading. Oh, and I'd _really_ like to hit 400 reviews by the time this story is over. It seems a bit impossible, but a few short words could make it happen.

**Please Review?**


	24. 1st Epilogue

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and** MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

When I was a little girl — like most little girls — I dreamed of my perfect wedding. When I was four, I dreamed I'd marry a handsome prince, and we'd live in his castle forever and ever as we lived out our happily ever after — just like Cinderella and every other Disney princess. Even after I gave up my dream of the prince, I still dreamed of the wedding. At one point — after many movies — I dreamed that my father would walk me down the aisle, kiss my cheek, and tell me he loved me before giving my hand to my groom. That dream didn't last long because I knew my father wasn't _that _type of father. Still, I dreamed. I wanted a big, fluffy gown with a train that went on forever. I could never make my mind up on the tiara or veil, so I wanted a tiara with a veil — don't ask what I was thinking; I was probably nine when I decided that. I dreamed of a church full of people who only wished me the best. The fact was, I dreamed. I even had a fake wedding with my stuffed animals and Edward when I was five. I married Mr. Stuffington. Edward officiated the ceremony.

Looking back, I realized none of those things were what I wanted now. I wanted a private wedding, and I didn't care about the dress. The only thing that mattered was Carlisle. And tomorrow afternoon, we'd be husband and wife. Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle Cullen. In nineteen hours, I'd be his wife. I couldn't stop grinning at that idea.

"God, it's beautiful here," Carlisle said, zipping up my dress for me as we looked out at the Caribbean Sea from our room.

"It is. This is amazing — breathtaking," I said him.

He kissed my shoulder. "As are you. You're glowing, beautiful."

I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. Standing on my toes, I kissed him softly. "It's because of you. Thank you for thinking of this. A wedding in the Caribbean… It's perfect."

He smiled. "Well, we wanted small and private. Besides, I already wanted to honeymoon here, so it works out perfectly. We'll send everyone home on Sunday and enjoy the rest of our week here as newlyweds."

"Sounds like a dream come true."

"And since we're getting married in a US territory, we don't have to worry about international marriage or whatever. It just makes it simple.

"And St. John is unbelievably gorgeous. You're so smart," I laughed softly.

His smirk came out. "I do try," he chuckled, pressing his lips back to mine.

We walked, hand in hand, down to the restaurant at the resort where we were staying. Everyone was waiting for us at the large table. Bella had my sweet little niece in her arms as Edward had his arm wrapped around her. Rose and Emmett left Andy with her parents since he was getting so big and wanted nothing more than to be the center of attention. They decided they needed the break anyway. I would have loved to have him here, but I understood.

"Hi, Nessie," I said, running my hand over my niece's cheek.

It turned out Edward and Bella did name their daughter after me… Well, sort of. Her name was a mixture of the most important people in her parents' lives. Renesmee Carlie Masen was just the sweetest girl. Carlisle and I were utterly shocked when we learned her name. He even more so than me. She was born, perfectly healthy, two days before her due date on February 10th. She just turned five months old.

"She's out cold," Bella told me. "But I'm sure she'd say 'hi' if she was awake."

"You know, because she's so talkative," Edward laughed. "Do you want me to put her in the car seat, love?"

"Sure," she said, passing him the sleeping baby as I went to sit down next to Carlisle.

"If she gets fussy, I can take her," Charlie said.

"Thanks, Dad," Bella said. "She's been awake all day, so hopefully she's out for a while."

Edward laid Nessie down in the car seat by his feet before sitting back down. I looked around the table at my family and friends, thankful that they joined Carlisle and me to celebrate our wedding. It wouldn't have been the same without them.

"Did everyone have some fun today?" Carlisle asked after we ordered.

"I watched Rose in a bikini. My day was perfect," Emmett said, smirking.

Rose rolled her eyes. "Nice, Em."

"I dipped Nessie's feet in the ocean. She giggled… It was magical," Edward laughed.

"And you about forgot to put sunscreen of her again. Thank God, Dad remembered," Bella said.

"Aww, that sounds so sweet! Tell me you have pictures?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah." Edward grinned. "We have tons."

"What did you and Carlisle do?" Rose asked.

Carlisle took my hand and smiled. "Spa day," I told her.

"Wait…" Emmett said. "Carlisle went on a spa day?"

"The massage was pretty good," Carlisle said. "After that, we went our separate ways."

"You had a massage?" Edward laughed.

"It was a couple's massage. You and Bella should try it. Very relaxing," I said.

"Yeah… no, thank you."

"Why not?" Bella asked. "I think it'd be nice."

"Do you see what you've done, Carlisle?" he asked. "Good thing we have to watch Nessie, so we can't. Oh, and you're making us leave on Sunday. Bummer."

"We can do it tomorrow morning. Esme, what time did you need me?" Bella asked.

"Well, I think eleven would be okay. The wedding is at one. I think two hours is plenty of time," I said.

"See?" she asked. "We have plenty of time. Dad will watch Nessie, right, Dad?"

"Of course, sweetheart. I'd love to spend some time with my little girl," Charlie said.

"I'll be getting you back for this, Carlisle," Edward said, glaring.

"No, you'll be thanking me. Trust me; the massage was amazing. Not as good as Esme's, though," Carlisle said, lifting my hand and kissing the top of it.

After dinner, we all went our separate ways once more. Carlisle and I decided to take a walk on the beach in the moonlight. He held me close as I held my shoes in my hand. I sighed peacefully, looking out at the water. It was an amazing view. I was so lucky to be able to get married here.

"I can't believe we're getting married," I said. "It seems like a wonderful dream that I never want to wake up from."

He kissed my head. "It's no dream, beautiful. We're getting married tomorrow."

I looked up to see his smile. He was so handsome in the moonlight. "Mrs. Esme Cullen. I love the sound of that," I sighed.

"Oh, me too. I'm counting the hours until I can officially call you that. I've been counting them for nine months."

I laughed. "Oh, yeah?"

"Well, no," he laughed. "But I've definitely been counting the days since we set a date."

I nodded. "Two-hundred and twenty-nine days. We picked a date December 7th."

"I love that you can tell me that off the top of your head," he said, kissing my head.

"I have a calendar that I counted backwards on in my drawer at home."

He smirked. "I have one in my office."

"Did you ever think this day would actually come?"

"I've prayed for it to hurry up. July 23rd can't come soon enough."

"Only a few hours now. Cold feet?" I asked.

"Warm and toasty. Yours?"

"Like they just soaked in a hot tub."

He chuckled. "Good. Keep them warm because I couldn't handle you leaving me at the altar."

"Me? I'm still trying to believe you want to marry me."

"Well, believe it because there is nothing I want more in the world."

"I love you."

"And I love you — more than words can express. But I'll try every day to show you that love."

We stopped and I placed my hand against his face, pulling his lips to mine. He held me close as our tongues entwined and the love flowed.

When we parted, I whispered, "I know, because you already do."

Carlisle walked me back up to the room we had been sharing. Tonight, he was staying in another room — across the resort. It was supposed to be romantic, but I didn't want to say goodbye. It wasn't that I couldn't sleep without Carlisle — he did work nights every once in a while — it was that I didn't want to. Part of me really wanted to kick myself for agreeing to this. Bella and Rose said it'd be so romantic to not see each other before the wedding. I should have thought it through a little more.

Carlisle sighed as we stopped outside of the room. "So this is goodnight."

"Unfortunately, yes, it is," I said.

"Even though I don't want to say goodbye to you tonight, it's going to be so much better to see you walking down that aisle tomorrow."

"Yeah, you're right. What did you say? Absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

"Yes, but your heart is already very fond of me."

"I think I said very, very." I smirked.

He laughed and kissed my lips. "Well, my heart can't get much fonder, either, but the hours will pass quickly. I promise, and I'll be thinking of you constantly."

"At eleven Bella, Rose, and I will be going downstairs to have our hair done, so stay away, mister," I laughed.

"Edward, Emmett, and Charlie already have plans for me, apparently. I have no idea what they are, but I'm sure it'll keep me away."

"Fourteen hours, Carlisle… That's it."

"It's an amazing thought. In fourteen hours I get to call you my wife."

"I can't wait."

He pulled me close and whispered, "Me either, beautiful."

Our lips pressed together again as we held each other close. This was our last kiss before we were married. This was the last time I'd see him before saying "I do". It was just… unimaginable that our wedding was just hours away.

"I love you," he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine.

"I love you, too."

He backed up until we were an arm's length apart — our hands still together. He smiled and pulled me a little closer to kiss my hand. "Goodbye, my beautiful Esme."

"Goodbye, my handsome Carlisle."

* * *

><p>The hours seemed to drag on last night. My sleep was fitful because I was so excited. There was no nervousness — just excitement. I wanted the clock to fast forward, but, of course, it wouldn't. If anything, it seemed to go slower. I even started counting the seconds once the clock turned to be sure there were sixty of them. A little crazy of me, but I did it.<p>

Once I finally fell asleep and stayed asleep, I didn't wake up until nine. And I only woke up then because someone was knocking on my door. It was room service with a breakfast tray for me. There was a red rose on the tray. I thanked the server and took it over to the table. In front of the rose in a vase was a letter with my name on it. That man…

_My Beautiful Esme,_

_ Four hours… It seems so close, and yet feels like an eternity. I know we can't see each other, but a little letter is all right, yes? Well, I couldn't help myself. I spent all of last night thinking of you. I know you'll look like an angel as you walk down the aisle, but I somehow believe my imagination can't do you justice. You're too beautiful. You'll steal my breath. I just know it. Enjoy the morning with Bella and Rose. I asked Edward and Emmett to come with me for a run, but neither wants to come. Sad. So I guess I'll go by myself. Honestly, I should be thankful. Without them, I can spend the time thinking of you. I'll see you in four hours, beautiful. You're the love of my life, and I can't wait to call you my wife._

_With all my love,_

_Carlisle_

I was in tears… It was my emotions. Today was my wedding day, and that letter just made me even more excited. It was such a Carlisle thing to do.

At eleven, I met Rose and Bella downstairs to have our hair and makeup done. By the time we made it back upstairs, I had less than a half-hour before my wedding. I almost couldn't contain my excitement.

"You are going to be a beautiful bride, Esme," Bella said, laying my dress bag on the bed.

"Thank you, Bella. I can't believe it's almost time."

"Believe it, sister," Rose said. "And don't touch your hair!"

I pulled my hand away from the flower in my hair. "I was just… fixing it."

She came over and touched the flower, and then fluffed out the long, wavy, curls. "It's perfect, so stop it. Also, if you start crying, I'm going to hurt you. Your makeup looks too beautiful to mess up."

I laughed. "I have no intention of crying."

"Okay, then… don't," she said. "We'll get dressed, and then help you with yours. Just sit down and relax."

I sat down in the chair and looked over at my dress on the bed as they quickly put on the light blue dresses that were perfect for the beach wedding. When they were done, they both looked stunning.

"Thank you both… You're the greatest friends," I said, pulling them both into a hug after I was dressed.

"Oh, Esme… thank you for having us here. It's going to be a beautiful wedding. I promise," Bella said.

"You'll love it," Rose told me as I let them go.

I looked at the clock. "I guess it's time, huh?"

"Well," Bella said. "Not just yet. We're waiting for someone."

"Who?"

Rose grinned. "It's a surprise. He better be here soon. I swear, if he's late…" She trailed off.

"He?" I asked as someone knocked on the door.

Bella rushed over to it and pulled it open. Edward was standing there with a grin on his face.

"You need someone to walk you down the aisle, right?" he asked.

"Oh, Eddie!" I exclaimed, rushing to him and throwing my arms around his neck. "Thank you… But what about Carlisle?"

"He's fine without me. I can't have my sissy walking down the aisle by herself."

I smiled so big and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"You're more than welcome. Honestly, I'm a little hurt you never asked me," he laughed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I just figured because you were Carlisle's best man it wouldn't make sense."

"I'm a multi-tasker, Es. It's all good. Besides, it's not like I'm standing next to him. You have everyone in chairs."

"Well, it's not like I have guests to fill them otherwise."

"Very true. All right, ready?" He put his hand out.

I put mine in his. "I've never been more ready."

Bella held up the bottom of my dress, so that it didn't get dirty from the resort floor as we walked downstairs and out to the beach. Bella and Rose each kissed my cheek before walking ahead of us down the wooden pathway leading to the shore.

Edward wrapped my arm through his and smiled at me. "You're one-hundred percent positive you want this, right?"

I nodded. "He's all I want."

"Good, because he'd be lost without you. I'm serious, his ass wouldn't be moving back in with me," he laughed.

"Oh, Eddie," I sighed with a giggle. "Just get to walking."

He nodded. "That I can do."

The moment I saw him, our eyes locked on each other's, and he smiled. Carlisle looked so handsome in the white shirt and khakis. I didn't even see anything else. I was sure there were flowers, that the ocean looked amazing, and everyone looked wonderful, but I didn't see anything but him. His eyes were bright on mine. The closer we got, the more I wanted to run. I was just steps away, but I wanted to run to him.

Carlisle held his hand out as Edward and I arrived. "Thank you, Edward," he said.

"Of course. Take care of my sister," Edward said, placing my hand in Carlisle.

Carlisle didn't take his eyes off of me. "I always will."

I tore my eyes from Carlisle's for just a moment and looked at everyone sitting down a few feet away. The chairs were all at an angle on one side, since there were so few. Edward and Bella sat in the first row with Nessie in Bella's lap. Charlie was in the second row with Rose and Emmett. It didn't matter that I didn't have chairs full of people watching Carlisle and me wed. It mattered that I had my family and closest friends. The ones who supported me and were always there. That was what mattered.

"Good afternoon, everyone," the minister said. "We have been invited here today to share with Carlisle Cullen and Esme Masen a very important moment in their lives. In the time they have been together, their love and understanding of each other has grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife.

"Who gives this woman to this man?"

"I do," Edward said. "Her big brother."

"Very well. Do either of you wish to say something?" he asked us.

"I do," Carlisle said. "Esme, to explain in words how much you mean to me is impossible. I can only tell you I love you and show you every day with my actions. Every day when I wake up, I smile, knowing it's another day I get to spend in your presence. I'll be forever thankful for that. You make my life brighter with your smile. I love hearing and seeing you laugh. You're just gorgeous when you do. I'm so thankful you're marrying me because, otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do. You're my life, Esme. You're everything to me. I love you," he said.

I tried to blink away the tears of joy. "I love you, too."

"Esme?" the minister asked.

I nodded. "Carlisle, thank you for loving me and standing by my side when you had no reason to do so. The love you give me warms my heart. Unlike you, I'm not very poetic with my words, so bear with me," I laughed as did he. "You've given me a life I couldn't have imagined for myself. Dreams I never knew I had have come true because of you. Just… thank you. I love you so much."

I pulled one of my hands from his and wiped the tears off my cheek. He lifted his and stopped me, doing it himself. "I thought we agreed on no tears?" he teased.

"It's not my fault you've brought me to tears."

"Very well said, both of you," the minister said. "Carlisle, do you take Esme to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish from this day forward, until death do you part?"

"I do," Carlisle said.

"Esme, do you take Carlisle to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish from this day forward, until death do you part?"

"I do," I said.

"Do you have rings?" he asked.

"Yes, I have them," Carlisle said, pulling them from his pocket. He placed his in my hand.

"Good. Now, Carlisle, repeat after me," the minister started. "I, Carlisle Cullen, give you, Esme Masen, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you."

"I, Carlisle Cullen, give you, Esme Masen, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you," Carlisle said, smiling as he slid the ring on my finger.

"Esme, repeat after me. I, Esme Masen, give you, Carlisle Cullen, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you."

"I, Esme Masen, give you, Carlisle Cullen, this ring as an eternal symbol of my love and commitment to you," I said, sliding the ring on his finger.

"And now in the presence of God and these witnesses, I pronounce you husband and wife," he said. "You may now kiss the bride."

Carlisle pulled me close and pressed our lips together. I placed my hand against his face, relishing the moment. We were married!

"I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle Cullen," the minister said.

Carlisle took my hand, and we walked back down the aisle together — both of us grinning and happy as could be.

After lunch in the private room we had reserved, Carlisle and I cut the beautiful, small wedding cake. He fed me a bite, and I fed him. For the most part, the reception wasn't really a reception. Everyone talked and laughed as we ate. I loved hearing the congratulations over and over. I kept looking at the band on my finger with my engagement ring. It matched perfectly. I never wanted to take them off.

"So, wife," Carlisle said, smirking. "Did you enjoy the wedding?"

I nodded. "It was amazing. Thank you."

He kissed my lips softly. "We're married."

"I know!" I laughed. "It's so wonderful… husband."

"I'll never tire of hearing that."

Our first dance together as husband and wife was great. He held me tight and stole kisses often. I just… it was beyond words what I was feeling. I was in the arms of my husband — the most amazing man in the world. Everything just felt right. My wedding day was a dream come true and more.

* * *

><p>That evening, Carlisle and I left everyone and went to our honeymoon suite. He had to be the romantic and carry me through the door. He placed me on my feet and pressed his lips to my neck.<p>

"Champagne?" he murmured against my neck.

"Yes, please."

He moved his lips to mine and kissed me softly before grabbing the bottle from the bucket. I sat down on the bed and kicked my heels off, wiggling my toes.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Mmm-hmm. Much."

"Here you go." He passed me one glass and sat down next to me. "To forever," he said, touching his glass to mine.

"And always," I said, sipping it.

We sat there and talked for a bit. Soon enough, our glasses were empty, and he asked me if I wanted another. I refused and took his glass from him. I placed them on the table and walked back over to him.

"Help me?" I asked, turning around and touching the zipper on the dress.

He stood up and kissed my neck. "Oh, yes… I believe you've worn this long enough, my dear."

His hands swept my hair off my back and trailed down to the zipper. His lips touched my shoulder softly.

"You looked like an angel today," he told me.

I smiled. "Thank you. I felt so good walking down that aisle to you. I couldn't take my eyes off of you."

"Yes, you did," he laughed. "But it was only for a few seconds, so I didn't mind."

Once the zipper was down, I turned into his arms. He slid the dress off one shoulder and kissed me there. "So… what's my name?" I asked.

He grinned. "Mrs. Esme Cullen. Wife of Dr. Carlisle Cullen."

"Mmm, I like the sound of that, doctor."

He perked up. "Doctor?"

"I think my heart is racing."

"Hmm, I guess I should check that out then, shouldn't I?" I nodded, and he pressed his ear to my chest. He moved the dress down farther and kissed the top of my breast. "It is racing. But that's not always a bad thing," he murmured.

He pushed the dress down to my waist and moved to my bra clasp, making quick work of taking that off. His mouth went to my breast and sucked gently. I gasped and moved my hand to his hair.

"Carlisle," I said, breathlessly.

He pulled away and I moved my hand to his shirt, undoing the buttons slowly. His hands went to my sides and caressed the skin lightly. I pulled the shirt off of his shoulders, and he shrugged it off as my hands went to his waist, unfastening the button and zipper. They fell off of him after a quick tug. He pulled me back against his body and took my lips again. I moved my hand up his chest and to his neck, pulling him closer and holding him there longer. He bent down and put a hand under my backside, lifting me up as I wrapped my legs around his waist. He laid me down on the bed and moved his lips to my chest, kissing me everywhere as his hands went to my panties. Once they were off, he took off his boxers and went on caressing and kissing my body… Loving me.

"Gorgeous," he murmured, moving his lips back to my breast.

It felt so good. His hand trailed down my stomach until he touched me. His fingers were just… magical.

"Oh," I gasped, tugging on his hair again.

"Mmm, I love those sounds."

He moved his finger in and out, hitting that spot that just made me tingle. He had me right on the edge before he stopped. He coaxed me into moving higher on the bed and pulled the covers down, having me get under them. He joined me and spread my legs apart with his knee. He nipped at my ear before kissing down my jaw. He entered me slowly, picking up pace as I moved my hands up and down his back. His hand held my hip as he thrust into me. Since it was our wedding night, I wanted to try something different.

"Roll over," I whispered.

He pulled out of me and lay down on his back. I climbed over him and lowered myself onto him. The feeling was just… wonderful — different than what I was used to. I loved it. His hands went to my sides as I moved up and down. They moved up to my breasts and massaged me.

"Oh, god," I gasped, going faster.

I braced myself with my hands on his stomach. He moaned with me, obviously liking the new position. Before I knew it, he came, panting my name. He pulled me down on top of him and flipped us over. His fingers went to my clit and moved perfectly. Within moment, I was there, screaming _his_ name.

"God, I love you, Esme. Thank you for that," he said, resting his head in the crook of my neck.

"That was… wow," I panted.

"Is it just me, or do you think we should start exploring other positions?" he asked, smirking.

"Oh, yes, yes, we should. We have a week to do anything we want."

"No, we have a lifetime to do anything we want. A lifetime with you sounds more than perfect."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **So… I met Peter Facinelli today *squeals excitedly*. It was a great day and now I have a huge Carlisle Cullen banner hanging on my wall that was signed by him. Seriously, taller than me and my arms width. Happy girl is happy.

Thank you all for reading and reviewing. I'd _really_ like to hit 400 reviews by the time I hit complete after posting the next chapter, so please, please review. It's good to have goals. LOL

**Please Review…**


	25. 2nd Epilogue

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA **and** MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**A/N: **This is it! But 10K words is a nice goodbye. Just a note, I have never been pregnant. I've never even spend an extended amount of time with babies. I researched and used many people suggestions to write this. I'll tell you right now, some parts are not perfectly realistic because I wanted things to work out a certain way.

There are pictures for this chapter on my profile.

Now, onto the chapter! See you down there!

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

* * *

><p><strong>Carlisle's POV<strong>

Two years… It still seemed like just yesterday I stood on the beach in St. John and married the love of my life. For the most part, our marriage had been wonderful. We rarely fought, but we had been fighting more lately. It was over such small things, too — things that we had no reason to fight over. We were both getting frustrated over the same thing. We had yet to have a baby.

We tried… Trust me, we tried. We'd use ovulation calendars and positions Esme read in some book — I didn't believe they'd work anyway, but it was worth the try. As the months passed and every test was negative, Esme's hope was dwindling. I had approached the subject of a fertility specialist, but she didn't want to go that route just yet. We agreed on six more months. Those six months were up soon. If we weren't pregnant this time, she agreed to see a specialist.

I honestly prayed it was me. I prayed there was something wrong with me and not her. She'd take that kind of news to heart. She'd blame herself and feel unworthy. She didn't deserve to have to feel that type of pain — knowing she couldn't have a child. If it were me, we'd work something out. A sperm donor, perhaps. I didn't care as long as we got the child we so dearly wanted. I'd love it nonetheless. Even if it wasn't my DNA that made the child, I'd love it because it'd be a part of her. It'd be _our_ child… No matter its paternity.

"Are you taking the test today?" I asked, sitting at the breakfast table with my coffee.

Esme sighed. "Should I?"

I took her hand and smiled. "Esme, if it is negative, it'll be okay. We _will_ have a baby."

"Thank you," she said, smiling softly. "I know we've been… not our normal selves, but you've been so very supportive. I love you. Please, always remember that… Even when I'm a little rude and moody."

I chuckled softly. "It's okay. I understand. It's not only been you, beautiful. This has been stressful. But we're in it together… Forever and always."

"I just… I want to be a mom." She was starting to tear up. "I feel horrible for this, but I'm so jealous of Bella and Rose. I almost don't want to see the kids because it makes me want one even more. I'm horrible. I even look at my students and think… why can't they be mine? You know?"

"I do. I see kids in the ER and think the same thing. I want a baby, too. I want our child."

"Carlisle, what if I can't give you a child?"

"We have options, ranging from sperm or egg donor, in vitro, surrogate, and adoption. We will have a baby."

"It's just… why is this so hard for us? It's something we've always wanted, and yet, for some reason, we can't make it happen. It doesn't seem fair. Edward and Bella weren't even trying when they got pregnant with Nessie."

"I don't know why, Esme. And I agree with you; it's not fair."

"I know I'm being selfish, but I can't help it. I want a child… our child."

"How about you go ahead and take the test, hmm? If it's negative, come with me to the hospital, and we'll take a blood test. A regular pregnancy test might not show up with a positive just yet."

"Really? You'll do that? How quickly will we know?"

"Give me a half-hour, and we'll get it back. I'll put a rush on it," I said, smiling.

"Can we just do that? I don't want to take a home test that might be negative, and then take another. I just want to know for sure if I'm pregnant."

"Of course. Do you need to call the school?"

"I'll get a sub for my first class."

"Okay, then we'll go when you're ready."

She stood from her seat and said, "I'm ready now."

I laughed softly and finished my coffee. "Then let's go."

Esme called the school and asked for a substitute to cover for her until she arrived. She just told them she had to have some blood work done, so she didn't know when she'd be in today. We drove together, because if it was negative, I knew she'd be upset and need me. I'd take the day off if I had to.

Esme went straight to my office — the new one that marked me as Chief of Surgery — and waited as I gathered the supplies. Edward and the board appointed me chief of surgery after Dr. Gerandy retired earlier this year. He gave plenty of notice, so luckily, we were able to find another surgeon — two, actually. The hospital was doing very well under Edward's control. He was able to affiliate the small community hospital with Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles, which meant we had more money and resources than before. Edward easily showed the board that they made the right decision in choosing him as chief of staff.

After grabbing the supplies I'd need, I went back to my office and found Esme gazing at our wedding pictures on my bookshelf.

"It often seems like just yesterday, doesn't it?" I asked, closing the door behind me.

She turned and smiled. "It's funny, actually. Some days, it feels like we've been married forever, and others it seems like just yesterday. Strange, right?"

I shook my head. "Not at all. Sit down for me, please?"

She took a seat on my couch and rolled up her sleeve as I set everything down on my coffee table and pulled it close, sitting down on it in front of her. I laid her arm down on my knee and tied the tourniquet around it.

"Are you nervous? Because I'm nervous," she said.

"I have a good feeling about this." I smiled, wiping the crease of her elbow with the alcohol pad.

"You do?"

I nodded. "I really do."

She smiled. "I do too, but I don't want to get my hopes up again."

After drawing the blood, I ran it up to the lab and told them to page me the second they had the results. I went back down to my office and sat with Esme. She was nervous, obviously, and kept twitching. I put my hand on her knee to stop it from bouncing up and down. She just smiled and rested her head against my shoulder. Thankfully, the simple blood test didn't take very long. I retrieved the folder, but didn't open it. This was something I wanted to do with Esme. We needed to find this out together.

The second I opened the door, Esme jumped up and asked, "Well?"

"I haven't read the results yet. Let's sit down."

I took her hand, and we sat back down on the couch. Before I opened the folder, I needed to say something to her.

"No matter what this says, we will have a baby. Don't let this discourage you because I swear, we will have a baby somehow," I said.

She nodded. "I know. Open it."

I read the hCG — pregnancy hormone — levels with a smile. She was pregnant. She was most _definitely_ pregnant. We were having a baby!

"We're having a baby," I said in awe.

"What?" she gasped. "You… you're sure?"

I nodded. "Positive. You're too early to do an ultrasound, but I assure you, you're pregnant."

"Oh, Carlisle!" she cried, wrapping her arms around my neck. "This is a miracle!"

Tears filled my eyes as well. After trying for so long, Esme was pregnant. It just hit me so hard. In less than nine months, we'd have a baby. A baby of our own that would be our world.

* * *

><p>Esme's first trimester took a toll on her. Her morning sickness was horrid. I watched as my wife struggled through it, knowing there was nothing I could really do to help. I followed all the suggestions Dr. Snow gave us to help her, but it didn't do much. She had to suffer through it, but she did so with a smile on her face, knowing the product of it was well worth the struggle.<p>

The first time I saw my child, I stopped breathing. And when I heard the heartbeat, I cried with Esme. It was a miraculous moment. I loved knowing exactly what I was looking at and pointing it out to Esme. The tech didn't really even speak because I was a step ahead of her. Esme just laughed afterwards and said I was impatient. I was… I wanted to share everything that I was seeing with her the moment I did.

We waited until Esme was exactly eighteen weeks before attempting to find out the gender. We had discussed it over and over, wavering often as to whether we really wanted to know…

"_Part of me wants to be surprised," Esme said as I held her close to me in bed._

"_I understand. It would be a great surprise," I agreed._

"_But I'm so impatient!" she laughed. "I just want to know because I want to decorate. I don't want to do a unisex nursery. I want pink if it's a girl and blue if it's a boy."_

"_I want pink," I told her, grinning._

_ Truthfully, I'd have loved the child no matter what the gender was, but a big part of me wanted a little girl… A little girl who was just like her mother. A little girl I could spoil and dote on. I wanted a daddy's girl. Edward had made me jealous._

"_Oh, I know you do," she told me. "And I do, too. But a boy would be just as welcomed."_

"_Oh, of course. A little boy I could play catch with," I sighed. _

_That seemed like a dream come true, too. I wanted both, but it had been so hard for Esme to become pregnant once that we hadn't exactly talked about trying again someday. We wanted three kids, but I didn't know if that was still what we were going for. _

"_So should we find out or not?" she asked._

"_Oh, Esme… the choice is really up to you. I'd like to know, but if you don't want to, we don't have to find out."_

"_Carlisle, if you look at that monitor, you'll find out the sex, won't you?"_

"_I can… look away, I guess."_

_She smiled. "I don't want you to look away from anything. I want you to see everything, so I think we should find out."_

"_Whatever you want." _

_ Internally, I was celebrating. I wanted to know what we were having so badly, but I wanted it to be up to Esme._

"_I want to know," she said, tilting her head and kissing my lips._

Now that the day had come, I was ecstatic. I couldn't wait to be able to tell Esme what we were having. No one else was going to be telling her that. It was my privilege.

As Esme lay on the bed, holding my hand tight while the tech set up, she started to tear up. I kissed her softly and smiled.

"I'm so emotional," she said. "Everything makes me want to cry," she laughed softly.

"As long as they're happy tears, it doesn't matter. You can cry as much as you want."

She placed her hand against my face. "See? That's why I love you. You give me a tissue when I cry about how good the pasta was last night."

I laughed. "It was very good."

"Okay, Mommy, Daddy, are we ready?" the tech asked with a grin.

I nodded. "Don't say the sex, okay? I want to say it."

"Understood, Dr. Cullen," she said, shaking the bottle of conductive jelly. "Little bit cold, Mrs. Cullen," she warned, squeezing a fair amount out on Esme's barely noticeable bump.

Honestly, if you didn't know she was pregnant, you probably wouldn't have even considered it. Esme just recently grew the tiny bump, but soon enough, she'd get bigger quite fast. She had gained just enough weight, but still kept her slim figure. I truthfully couldn't wait to see her belly grow as our child did. We had already been documenting the small progress she had made, so I couldn't wait to draw on the large paper we had taped to the wall, showing her defining bump.

As soon as the transducer was placed in the right position, I stared at the screen. I had to be one-hundred percent positive before I said this. I didn't want to say anything, and then later be wrong. Esme would not be happy with me if she had decorated the nursery for one baby, and then we brought home the other.

"Beautiful," I said, squeezing her hand and smiling. "We're having a little girl."

Her face lit up the room. "A girl?"

I nodded. "A little you."

"Oh, my," she gasped, looking at the screen. "And you're sure?"

"Most definitely."

She just grinned as tears filled her eyes and fell onto her cheeks. I promptly wiped them away and kissed under each eye. She placed her hand against my face and pulled my lips to hers, kissing me passionately in front of the tech. When she let me go, I looked up and saw the tech grinning as well.

"Congratulations," she said. "I imagine you want pictures?"

"Yes, many," I said.

I was already figuring out where they'd go. I wanted one in my office, one in my wallet, and many at home. Esme would want a few as well, so thankfully, the tech printed off plenty for us. We left the hospital happy as could be.

* * *

><p>Completely opposite to what I had believed, Esme's pregnancy flew by. I thought it'd feel like eternity until it was time for our baby to arrive, but she was now a week away from her due date. The pregnancy had gone almost too smoothly. I kept thinking something was going to go wrong, but it didn't. Esme never even got a cold. And now that her delivery was right around the corner, I was even more concerned. Nothing could go wrong. Nothing. I watched Rose recover after almost losing her life and Andy's. I didn't want to imagine something like that happening to Esme.<p>

"Any day now, huh?" Edward asked, coming into my office and sitting down in front of me as I did paperwork.

"Yeah, I can't believe it," I said.

"Feels like it's happening too soon, doesn't it?"

I leaned back and ran my hands over my face. "God, yes. How has nine months come and gone?"

He laughed. "You're stressing."

"I'm scared."

"What? Why? You'll be a great dad."

"Everything has been perfect, Edward. I just…" I shook my head. "I feel like I'm waiting for something to go wrong."

"Carlisle," he sighed. "Nothing is going to go wrong. Esme is as healthy as can be and that baby is perfect."

"Things can change in an instant. We don't have a NICU here. What if she needs the NICU?"

"She won't. She's full-term and has a perfect heart rate. We both know she looks amazing on the ultrasound."

"I'm terrified she won't cry."

"Oh, she's going to wail," he laughed. "I still remember Esme as a baby. She wouldn't shut up. I'm sure the kid will be just like her."

"What if Esme needs a C-section?"

"She won't."

"But what if she does?"

"Then you'll be right there beside her, telling her everything is okay. But Carlisle, that's not going to be necessary. Esme will have a perfectly normal delivery. You can't dwell on the what ifs. Stop it."

"I just worry," I sighed.

"And that's normal, but you're taking it a little far."

"You were pretty on edge when it was Bella."

He shrugged. "Very true. Maybe it's a doctor thing. I still don't think I took it as far as you are, though."

"You had an OR on standby."

"And there will be one on standby for Esme, too. That's just a precaution thing, and I can do it. Honestly, I guess I can't really lecture you on this because I was kind of the same way, but look how great everything turned out for Bella. It'll be the same for Esme. Oh, and enjoy these last few days without a baby. I'm just saying, life is going to get a lot more hectic," he laughed.

I smiled. "I honestly can't wait."

"Uh-huh, let's see if you still feel the same after a few sleepless nights."

I signed my name on the last chart and closed it. "Lunch?" I asked.

"Why do you think I came in here?" He smirked.

"Huh, and I thought you just wanted to visit. You use me so you don't have to eat alone."

"Damn straight. Let's go."

When I got home that night, I promptly gave Esme a foot rub — with lotion — and she told me about her day. She was still working, even though I didn't exactly want her to. Thankfully, her last day was today. Since she was giving birth so close to summer, she wanted to work for as long as she could. Esme had decided to stay home with our daughter until she started school. Esme was so conflicted on that. She loved teaching, but she loved the idea of being home with the baby more. The only problem was that her position wouldn't be held for her. If she gave it up, that was it. They had already started looking for someone to fill her position. So when our daughter was old enough, Esme might not have a job to go back to - but that was over four years away. Anything could happen in four years. Who knows, we could have another baby by then.

"Oh, right there, Carlisle," Esme moaned, laying her head back with a smile.

I dug my thumb in the bottom of her foot a little deeper, receiving another satisfied moan. "How's that?" I asked.

"So perfect. Thank you."

"You're more than welcome. How have you felt today?"

"Tired, but it was a good day. I brought home some of my cake. If you want it, it's in the fridge."

"You think I'd refuse cake?" I laughed.

"Point taken. Actually, I'd like some more." She smiled sweetly. "Would you go get me a piece?"

"Like you have to ask. How do your feet feel?"

"Great. Now go get us some cake," she laughed.

As we ate the congratulations and goodbye cake, we somehow found ourselves back on the name topic. We hadn't picked a name for our daughter yet, and we needed to. Nothing just… popped out.

"What about Eliza?" I asked, looking at the name book again.

"Too much like my mother's name."

"Sophia? I still like that one."

"Eh, it's just not right. When I hear the name, I think I'll know. I just haven't heard it yet."

"Well, we have a middle name, so we have to pick a first name, Esme. Either that, or use Anne as her first name and find a different middle name."

"I do like Anne — it's my middle name, after all — but it's just not her first name," she said, rubbing her belly.

I placed my hand over hers and caressed it as well. "She's going to be so special," I said. "Her name needs to reflect that."

"Exactly. It has to be… beautiful and amazing."

"She's our miracle. What about Hope?"

She shrugged. "I like the meaning behind it, but not the name itself."

"How about Miracle?" I laughed.

"Oh, ha-ha. No, thank you."

"Esme," I said, suddenly thinking of a name. "Grace."

Her face lit up. "Gracie."

I nodded. "Grace Anne Cullen. We'll call her Gracie."

There was a firm kick against my hand, causing Esme to laugh. "She likes it."

I leaned down and put my mouth next to Esme's belly. "Hello, Gracie. Daddy can't wait to meet you," I said, kissing it softly.

Esme's other hand went into my hair. "Why hadn't we thought of that name?"

"I don't know. We've mostly been looking at more modern names. We overlooked the great, classic ones."

"So we have a name," she said. "Gracie… I think it's perfect."

"Me, too." I smiled, kissing her belly again before moving up to her lips.

Two days later, at three o'clock in the morning, Esme shook me awake. I had worked a double and had just gotten home an hour before, so I wasn't waking up easily. She caught my attention, though.

"Carlisle! I think I just had a contraction!"

I jolted up and out of the bed, searching for pants. Any pants… I picked up a pair of Esme's night ones that she decided not to wear. After ripping them while trying to get them on, I realized they weren't mine. Esme started laughing and turned the light on.

"I liked those," she said.

"How far apart are the contractions?"

"I'm not sure. I really just felt that one. It woke me up."

"Okay," I sighed, taking a breather. "We need to time them, and then call Dr. Snow. He wants you to come in when they're around four to five minutes apart and last for a minute each."

"I was there, Carlisle. I heard him. It's my first baby, so it will probably take a while. I remember. Stop freaking out."

"I'm not freaking out."

"So what do we do? Just… wait?"

I nodded. "I guess. Let's wait for the next contraction to see how far apart they really are, and then maybe you should try to go back to sleep."

"You want me to sleep?" she laughed. "I'm so excited!"

I sat back down on the bed with her and put my hand against her belly. "I am, too. I can't believe it's time."

Sadly, an hour passed and she hadn't felt another contraction. Another hour… and still nothing. It was safe to say she'd had a Braxton Hicks contraction — false labor. We fell back asleep around six in the morning. Esme was sad when we woke up the next day, so I reminded her that the false labor was getting her body ready for the actual thing. She just wanted it to be time, and I didn't blame her. She was tired and felt huge — even though she was far from it.

"I'm just so ready. Look at the nursery! It just needs a baby," she said, walking over to the crib and touching the bedding.

The theme of the nursery was butterflies. A pink, green, and red quilt with pink butterflies hung over the side of the crib. Esme just loved the design. It was sweet looking, and I couldn't wait to bring our daughter home to it. Though, I knew she wouldn't be sleeping in that crib for some time. We had a bassinet in our bedroom for her. Esme said it was just in case, but I knew we'd be keeping her in there for a while. That was fine by me. I much rather the idea of having Gracie near us for a while. Maybe it was the doctor in me, but I was pretty sure it was the father that just wanted her to be near me, so I could make sure she was okay. She wasn't even born yet, and I already feared things. Yes, I was going to be _that_ father. I could already tell.

"She'll come when she's ready, beautiful," I said, coming up behind her and wrapping my arms around her belly. I kissed the nape of her neck softly. "We just have to be patient."

"She's due in four days. Is she really going to wait 'til the last second?" she sighed.

"Probably," I laughed.

"The child needs to learn not to overstay her welcome."

"Esme!"

"I'm kidding," she laughed. "Kind of."

I laughed softly and kissed her neck again. "We could always try to speed up the process."

"Oh, Carlisle, I am so not in the mood for sex. It's not happening, so have fun in the shower," she said, turning in my arms and standing on her toes to kiss me. With a smirk, she walked away. Evil woman.

* * *

><p>Esme's due date was today, and she showed no signs of labor. I was going to take the day off, just in case, but she told me to come to work. She said there was no use in wasting the day doing nothing, when I could be helping people. On the bright side, I was kept occupied by work. The ER was quite busy, so that was nice.<p>

When we finally got a moment, Edward and I took our usual lunch break to Subway. He told me about Nessie and how excited she was for Gracie to come. She wanted to see the "real babydoll". Her words, of course. Even though they'd be two years apart, I hoped Nessie and Gracie would be close. Edward and Bella had ultimately decided one child was enough, so she wouldn't get a sibling. As for Gracie, we just didn't know. I wanted the girls to have each other. Family was important to me. Growing up alone, I never had someone to rely on. When I met Edward, that changed. I never realized what I had missed by not having a close confidant. I wanted Gracie to always have someone, just in case she never had a sibling.

"So nothing today?" Edward asked. "Not even a twinge of possibility?"

I shook my head. "Nope. She hasn't felt anything resembling a contraction since the other night. She's not happy, let's just say."

"Aww, poor Es. Is she uncomfortable?"

"Very. She can't get off the couch without rolling on her side." He started laughing. "It's not funny." I really did try not to laugh, but the image was in my head. "Really, it's not. It's very sad, actually."

"No," he laughed more. "That's hilarious. It was funny for Bella, too, so I'm not being mean. I never laughed in front of her. She'd yell 'dammit' really loud and hit the cushion. She wouldn't even sit on the couch if I wasn't home to help her up."

"Esme won't let me help her. She has the maneuver down pat, though." I smirked.

"You're just as bad as I am, aren't you? Laughing in private?"

"No, I don't laugh without her. Esme gets a kick out of the things she does, too. Well, she did. She's not so happy now," I said as my phone started ringing. "I bet it's the ER."

When I saw Esme's face on my screen, I answered it right away, silently praying it was time. "Hello, beautiful. Are you okay?"

"I have good news," she said.

"Contractions?"

"They're at six minutes apart, and I've been having them for a while. I think they started a few hours ago, but I've only been timing for an hour."

"An hour? Esme!"

She laughed, actually _laughed. _"Just come home and get me. I'll call Dr. Snow, okay?"

"Uh-huh." I was a little… stunned. It was time. I had been praying that was why she was calling, but to actually hear those words… I was in a bit of shock.

"Carlisle, breathe."

I instantly snapped out of it. "I'm on my way. Your bag is ready, right? You have everything?"

"Yes, and the car seat is already strapped into the backseat of your car," she laughed, knowing what my next question would be.

"Right." I found myself smiling. "I'll be there soon, beautiful. I love you."

"I love you too, Carlisle."

After hanging up the phone, my eyes met Edward's. He was grinning like a fool. I probably held the same expression, actually.

"I think you need to go," he said.

I nodded, standing up. "Yeah. My shift?"

"I got you covered. And I'll call Bella and Rose and let them know. I'm sure they'll want to visit for a bit."

"All right. I'll give you a call once she's situated."

The entire drive home, I had to remind myself to go the speed limit… Well, within ten miles-per-hour of it. I couldn't believe in a matter of hours I would be holding my daughter for the first time. My daughter. A little girl Esme and I had created out of love. The thought just thrilled me. I hoped she looked like Esme. My wife was beautiful — absolutely gorgeous. I wanted a little girl just like her.

As soon as I pulled into our driveway, I dashed inside to find Esme. I yelled her name, and she yelled back that she was upstairs. I found her brushing out her hair as she sat in front of a mirror.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, looking over to her phone, which was timing the contractions. She was rounding five minutes.

"Good. I showered before calling you. Oh, Carlisle… Can you believe it's time?" she asked excitedly.

I placed my hand against her belly, just in time for a contraction. It was rock hard. Esme's hand shot out and grabbed mine as her face pinched in pain. She moaned softly as I rubbed her belly. I looked at the phone when it first started, and when Esme started to relax, I peeked again — just under a minute. This one started about five minutes after the last and lasted for a minute. It was most definitely time to get her to the hospital.

"Any better?" I asked.

She nodded. "It's over."

"Good. Are you ready? Where is your bag?"

"Downstairs by the door. I've had some time to spare," she laughed, "so I repacked a little."

"I wish you had called me when this started. I would have been here for you."

"You would have been a nervous wreck and kept me from doing what I wanted. Dr. Snow said to wait it out by doing what I wanted. So I sat in Gracie's room for a bit and decided to repack some things, bathed, and just thought for a bit. I figured the time would pass faster for both of us if we were occupied."

I kissed her lips softly. "I understand, beautiful. Now, let's get to the hospital."

"Um… Carlisle?"

"Yes, darling?"

"I think my water just now broke."

I looked down and saw the fluid running down her legs. Yes, it did break. "Clean up, and then go?"

She nodded. "I think that's best," she laughed.

After helping Esme to the car — even though she really didn't need my help — I went back and grabbed the two bags. The pink diaper bag was stuffed, and I was sure Esme's bag had things for Gracie in it, as well.

During the drive, Esme had two more contractions — both just over five minutes apart. She was so strong. She gripped the door handle and breathed through it. When we arrived at the hospital, I pulled into the entrance bay and retrieved a wheelchair. Esme sat down and I placed the diaper bag in her lap and threw her bag over my shoulder. Someone must have seen us pull up because Edward was waiting as we walked in.

"Hey, sissy. How are you doing?" he asked.

"Oh… you know, I'm having a baby, so I'm pretty much great," she laughed, reaching up to hug him.

Esme, Edward, and I headed up to labor and delivery. The knowledge that Esme was in labor spread quickly through the hospital. The nurses in L&D were waiting for us. Esme was taken to a room and settled as I spoke with Edward for a moment.

"I need your keys," he said.

"Huh? Oh, yes, of course. Thank you, Edward."

"No problem. Give me a call when she's up to seeing everyone, okay? Keep her comfortable. Well, as comfortable as you can."

"I will," I said.

After our first appointment, Esme and I filled out the preregistration forms, so all I had to do was check her in, which took moments.

"Congratulations, Dr. Cullen. I bet you're pretty thrilled, right?" Melissa, Esme's nurse, asked.

"Very," I laughed. "I can't wait for Gracie to get here."

"That's such a beautiful name, and I just know she'll be a beautiful girl."

"Thank you. She will be. Is Esme all set up?"

She nodded. "And she's already acting like a pro. She wants you. I don't think squeezing my hand is as good as squeezing yours," she laughed.

After signing the form, I followed Melissa into Esme's room. She was in the middle of a contraction, so I ran to her, and she took my hand. When she was done, we turned to Melissa.

"She's four centimeters dilated and one-hundred perfect effaced. I'd say she's been in labor for longer than she thinks," she told us.

"I swear I had no idea. The first one I felt I thought was false labor again. But then I felt another about ten minutes later. That was a few hours ago. I put it to the back of my mind like Dr. Snow said, until they started coming closer and lasting longer. That's when I showered, and then called you," Esme told me.

"Well, that's good, Esme. You got through the longest part without really realizing it," Melissa said. "You're well on your way to having a baby either today or early tomorrow."

"It's one… You think it might not be until tomorrow?" Esme asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure. Everyone is different, sweetie."

"When can we call for the epidural?" I asked.

"Anytime. It's up to Esme."

"Maybe I should try walking first," Esme said. "Let's do that."

"Okay, let's detach you from the monitor and help you up," Melissa said.

After a contraction, during which Esme squeezed both mine and Melissa's hands, Esme was up and walking around the hallway. I rolled the IV stand, using my left hand as my right stayed around her waist. She held onto the railing, but I just wanted to be safe. When she had a contraction, I put her arms over my shoulders and she pressed her head into my chest, breathing through it. They were getting too intense for her to speak during. I rubbed her back softly as I kissed the top of her head. Once it was over, we continued walking. That was our routine. She'd walk, have a contraction, and then walk some more. Many contractions later, she just couldn't do it anymore. I could see it in her eyes.

"It hurts," she whimpered.

"I know, darling."

"And I'm nauseated."

I kissed her forehead softly. "Let's get you back in bed."

"Yes, please," she sighed.

Melissa came back in to reconnect Esme to the fetal monitor. I watched the print outs with rapt attention. Our daughter's heart rate looked perfect, and Esme's contractions were regular and getting stronger. It was just a waiting game now.

"So call the anesthesiologist?" Melissa asked.

"Yes, and when will Dr. Snow be in?" I asked.

"He's in surgery right now. He'll be in when he's done. We have plenty of time."

I sighed. I wanted Esme's obstetrician in here. I wanted to talk to him, but I understood he had other patients and a schedule. Just because Esme was in labor didn't mean he dropped everything else.

"But you have orders for the anesthesiologist, right?" I asked.

"Of course. They're in her chart."

"Oh, thank God!" Esme exclaimed, laying her head back. "I want to hit myself for even beginning to think I knew what this would feel like. It's awful."

Melissa smiled and took Esme's hand. "I know, sweetie, but after the epidural, you'll be able to get some rest and feel better."

"Oh, rest that sounds—"

She was cut off by another contraction. She had both of our hands in a steel grip as her face pinched in pain once again. It was so difficult seeing my wife in that amount of pain and knowing there was nothing I could really do to help. Her once perfectly brushed-out hair was pushed back every which way, going multiple directions.

"I'm going to be sick," she said once it was over.

Melissa quickly grabbed a bedpan and held it under my wife's chin as she vomited. I felt _awful_ for doing this to her. The pain was just too much. Thankfully, it was over quickly, and she was soon sucking on an ice chip.

Esme took Melissa's hand and looked up at her. "Thank you," she said.

Melissa grinned. "You're very welcome. I'm here 'til midnight. Let's try to have this baby before then," she laughed. "I want to be here."

"Oh, and I want you here. I'm surprised you haven't yelled at me for almost breaking your hand."

"Don't worry about it. I'm going to go page the anesthesiologist, okay?"

Esme nodded. "Yes, please. Oh, Carlisle," she asked.

"Yes, beautiful," I answered quickly.

"Can you get Eddie up here? I want to see him."

"I'll call him. He has everyone on standby for when you're ready to see them."

"Okay, maybe after the epidural starts working. I might be more fun then." She tried to smile, but it was so obvious she was exhausted and in lingering pain.

I dialed Edward's cell number from the room phone. He said he was on his way. He asked about the others, and I just told him to wait on it like Esme asked. She wasn't in the mood for company just yet. Melissa came back not long after I hung up with Edward and told me the anesthesiologist was on his way. Esme just moaned as she endured another painful contraction.

"I'm here, my love. You're doing so well," I told her, kissing the top of her hand as she squeezed mine.

"Hurts," she grunted out.

I ran my hand through her hair and kissed her temple. "I'm so sorry."

She shook her head as her face began to ease from the painful expression. "Don't ever be sorry about this," she told me, breathing slowly. "I'd do it over again a thousand times if it meant having our child."

I smiled and caressed her cheek, standing up to press our lips together. "I love you so much," I whispered.

"I love you, too."

A light knock came upon the door as Edward peeked in. "How's my sissy?" he asked.

"Exhausted, in pain, and even with that, quite happy," Esme said.

He smiled and came close to give her a hug. "It'll all be worth it soon. I promise."

"I know, but I am ready for the pain to stop. I want my epidural."

"He's coming soon, right?" He looked at me. "Do I need to pull rank?" He smirked.

I laughed. "He's on his way. You can tuck your chief of staff status away for now."

Edward sat down opposite me and took Esme's other hand. I watched as he glanced over at the monitors and smiled, seeing that everything was going well. We all talked a little bit about her progress and how Gracie decided to be punctual with her timing. When Esme had another contraction, he held her hand and kissed the top of it like I had been doing to her other one. When it was over, he asked if she was okay and said he'd be right back. I could just see the look in his eyes. Watching Esme in pain was horrible. He was going to try to speed up the pain relief process.

"He's on his way, Edward," I said.

"I'm just going to check on his progress," he said.

"Sit down, Eddie," Esme said, glaring at him.

He promptly sat back down and sighed. Another ten minutes passed, and Esme had two more contractions. Thankfully, for the anesthesiologist's sake, he walked in before Esme had another.

Dr. Hunter introduced himself to Esme before discussing the epidural. She was well-versed on her knowledge, but listened to him anyway. Once she agreed and signed his consent form, he left to get Melissa.

Melissa and I helped Esme into the sitting position as I sat in front of her. She rested her head on my shoulder as Dr. Hunter prepared her back. Esme had a very hard time sitting through the epidural during her contractions. Melissa, Edward, and I all encouraged and praised her.

Once it was done and the medication was going, Dr. Hunter left, and Edward stepped out so Melissa could do what she needed. She found Esme to be at five centimeters. Her progress from here on out could only be guessed at. The last five centimeters could come quickly, or very slowly.

When she realized she was having a contraction, and yet felt no actual pain, Esme grinned.

"It's just pressure. That's amazing," she said.

"The miracles of medicine, huh?" I asked, laughing softly.

"If I didn't love you so much, I could have kissed that man."

"Well, then I'm glad you love me." I pressed my lips to hers softly. She pulled me a little closer and held me there.

_Yes, thank God for medicine. _

When Edward came back twenty minutes later, he brought Bella and Rose with him. Emmett stayed with the children, but Rose brought his good wishes. Esme was clearly in a better mood, but she looked so exhausted. She needed to rest while she had the chance. Everyone stayed for a good hour before Esme's yawns showed what she really wanted to do.

"You'll do great, Esme," Bella said, hugging my wife. "We'll be back tomorrow to meet Gracie. You rest and save up your energy; you'll need it."

"I will," Esme said.

Rose hugged Esme next. "I love you, hun. Good luck."

"Thanks, Rose. Love you."

"Bye, Esme. I love you!" Bella said, hugging Esme again.

"Come on, you two. Es needs her rest," Edward said, moving in to hug Esme. "Good luck, sissy. I can't wait to meet my niece. You're going to do amazing. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Eddie. I love you… All of you."

"I love you, too."

Esme quickly drifted to sleep once everyone was gone. Part of me envied how easily she slept, but it was obvious she needed the rest. My eyes were trained on the monitor, watching each contraction and Gracie's heart rate closely.

Around five — four hours after Esme was admitted — Dr. Snow came in. He didn't wake Esme up, thankfully. He looked over her printouts, happy with her progress. The contractions were coming around three minutes apart and still lasting a minute. He told Melissa to page him when she woke up so he could check her to see how far she was dilated. Right as he was about to leave, Esme began to stir.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as Esme sucked on an ice chip.

"Pretty good. I'm still tired, though," she told him.

He nodded. "You should rest some more, but if you don't mind, I'd like to check your progress. Sound good?"

Esme was at six centimeters. She was doing so well. After Dr. Snow left, Esme drifted back to sleep. I rested my head against my hand and nodded off.

Suddenly, I was jolted awake by a blaring of the monitor — the baby's heart rate monitor. I hit the call button and looked at the rhythm. It had decelerated — not extremely slow, but enough for the monitor to alert us to it.

"I saw on the monitor. I paged Dr. Snow," Melissa said, running in. "I need to check her."

I nodded and kissed Esme's forehead, whispering for her to wake up. "Hmm?" she asked softly.

"Melissa needs to check your progress. The baby's heart rate has slowed down," I told her.

She jolted up. "Oh, no."

"Shh, it's okay. It's all going to be okay."

I held Esme's hand tightly as Melissa checked her, praying to God my daughter was okay.

"Well, I have some good news," she said. "You're eight centimeters, which means you're in the transition stage. Your contractions are coming very close together, so that could be a reason why the baby's heart rate has decelerated, but Dr. Snow will decide what he wants to do. I'm going to give you some oxygen, okay?"

Esme looked downright frightened as Melissa placed the oxygen mask over her face. I tried to soothe her, but I was terrified, too. I looked over at the fetal monitor and found Gracie's heart rate to have come back up into a perfectly normal range. I sighed a bit in relief, but I was still worried. Just the fact that it had dropped at all scared me to death. Thoughts of an emergency C-section ran through my head.

Dr. Snow came in and decided to watch Gracie's heart rate. If it dropped again, even in the slightest, he wanted to take Esme to surgery and deliver the baby. I felt utterly useless. I wanted to do something. I wanted to fix it. But there was nothing I could do or fix. Time would tell.

Everything seemed to happen in a blur after that. In what seemed too short of a timespan, Dr. Snow announced Esme was fully dilated, and then her bed was broken down. I held my wife's hand tightly as everyone rushed around us. My focus was on her and Gracie's heart rate — which hadn't dropped again.

I found myself in a gown, but I honestly couldn't have told you when I slid into it. Everything was just surreal. Dr. Snow was at the end of the bed, telling Esme what was going to happen and what he needed her to do. Melissa stood on Esme's other side, holding her hand as more people seemed to just wait around. I knew they had their purpose, but for the life of me, I couldn't remember what.

"Okay, Esme, it's time. I need you to give me a few good pushes during each contraction. I'll tell you when to push and when not to push. All right?" he asked.

"You can do it, beautiful," I said. "Bring our daughter into the world."

When Dr. Snow told her to push, Esme gave it her all. I wiped the sweat off of her brow and encouraged her. It was all I could do. She was doing so amazing. Her hand squeezed mine as she cried out in her struggle. The dosage of the epidural had been lowered, so she was feeling a bit more — not the same level of pain she would be feeling without it, but she was most certainly feeling it.

"Oh, oh," she panted.

"You're doing great, Esme," Dr. Snow said. "Keep pushing. Push, push, push."

Suddenly, the baby's monitor went off again. Her heart rate dropped again. Dr. Snow announced he could see the head and told Esme to keep pushing. He then announced the baby's umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and told Esme to stop.

We waited, silently, until he had freed her neck of the restraint. When the next contraction came, Esme pushed under Dr. Snow's direction. I watched as my blue daughter was born, completely silent… a defining silence. In a rush, she was whisked away. I didn't even get to cut her cord.

Esme looked at me, her eyes begging. "Go," she said sternly.

I kissed her in a hurry and ran from her side to where they had taken my daughter across the room. She was being rubbed as her mouth and nose were being suctioned out. A mask was placed over her tiny mouth as a nurse pumped a few breaths.

A tiny wail filled the room as tears filled my eyes. I pushed my way through and took her tiny hand in mine. Things were being said, but all I heard was her cry. Moments later, after she was checked out and found to be doing much better, my little girl was wrapped in a pink blanket and handed to me. She was… gorgeous. My heart felt like it grew in my chest as I gazed at her. Words just couldn't express my emotion.

I walked back over to Esme, who was in the middle of completing the delivery, and laid our little girl in her arms. We just cried as Gracie did.

"Nurse her," Melissa said. "It's what you both need."

I helped Esme move the gown and our daughter latched on quickly, surprising us both. Her wails ceased as she suckled. We just watched her closely. Her color was almost perfect after being born blue. She came back so quickly, and I thanked God for it. My hand rested against her back over Esme's. Minutes were passing, but time seemed to stand still as we watched her.

Baby Gracie was taken back out of Esme's arms after she stopped nursing. She was weighed and measured as Esme was cleaned up. Gracie weighed in at six pounds, nine ounces and was nineteen inches long. She was just… perfect. The pediatrician checked her out again and gave her the vitamin K shot. She announced Gracie was doing wonderfully. Our daughter was bathed, and she, Esme, and I were all given the corresponding hospital bracelets. I was handed my daughter back, so Esme and I could bond.

"Call Edward and tell him she's here," Esme said. "I'm sure everyone is anxious."

With my left hand still touching my daughter, I grabbed the room phone and held it to my ear with my shoulder as I dialed Edward's cell number. He answered right away.

"Well? Is she here?" he asked.

"Grace Anne Cullen was born at eleven-fifty-two on May seventeenth. She weighs six pounds, nine ounces and is nineteen inches long. She's… gorgeous," I said.

"That's great! Did everything go well?"

I sighed. "Her cord was wrapped around her neck, so she wasn't breathing right away, but she's doing amazing now. She even nursed."

"Oh, well, I'm so glad she's doing better now. Are they keeping her in the nursery?"

"She's going in a little bit to be watched closely through the night, but they're letting us have some bonding time right now. I'm keeping an eye on her. She's sleeping peacefully right now."

"Good. What about hair?"

"She has some fuzz that's on the darker side. Her eyes are very light, and Esme hopes they darken up a little to look like mine, but I'm hoping they turn green."

"Green is recessive, you know that."

"I can hope."

"And I'm sure you will," he laughed. "Bella and I can't wait to meet her. We'll be by sometime tomorrow. Is that okay?"

"I'm sure that's fine."

"Okay, tell Es to get some sleep for me. And that she did a great job."

"I will. Bye, Edward."

Gracie was taken to the nursery after we spent an hour with her. Esme was exhausted, and I was pretty tired as well, so it was for the best. I went with Gracie to make sure she was settled okay. There would be a nurse with her all night to monitor her vitals — just to be sure she had no lingering effects from her trying birth. I waited until she drifted back to sleep before heading back to Esme's room.

"Is she okay?" Esme asked me as soon as I closed the door.

I nodded. "She's asleep."

She smiled. "Good. Come lay with me?"

She slowly moved over a little to make room for me. I lay on my side next to her on the small hospital bed. I kissed her softly and caressed her cheek.

"I love you. You did so great," I told her.

"That was so scary, Carlisle."

"I know, beautiful, but she's doing so well now. Sometimes that happens, but her heart never stopped. She's going to be fine."

"But she was so _blue_. Actually blue, Carlisle. I can't…" She shook her head. "I _never_ want to see her like that again. Ever."

"You won't have to, Esme. She's very healthy, and they're watching her tonight to be sure. I have no doubts that her pediatrician will tell us tomorrow she's perfect and can go home right on schedule."

"With me?"

I nodded. "Two days."

She tilted her head to rest it against my shoulder. "Good. I want to get her home and start our life together."

The next morning, while Esme was still sound asleep, I left her room and went to the nursery to see Gracie. Esme and I slept quite well on the small hospital bed together. We held each other close through the night. I was just in awe of my wife. She did very well without the baby; though, I knew she missed her and just wanted to see her. It was a mutual feeling, which was why I snuck away at eight o'clock when Esme was still sound asleep to see Gracie. I wanted Esme to wake up to our daughter, so I planned to bring Gracie back with me as long as it was allowed.

When I walked into the nursery and to her crib, I found Gracie's light blue eyes opened. She couldn't see very far yet, and she didn't look at me, obviously, but I gazed in her eyes. Sadly, they quickly closed again, which was normal for a newborn.

"She's doing great," her nurse told me. "She's had no bradycardic episodes, and her breathing has been within a normal range. I think it's safe to say she's a strong one."

"May I?" I asked, motioning to my daughter.

"Of course. I'll go grab her doctor. She's around here somewhere."

"Thank you," I said, gently picking Gracie up.

Her tiny body seemed like a fit for my arms — like she was made for them. I rested her against my body with my right arm as I lightly touched her face with my left hand. Her skin was so soft — the softest skin I had ever touched. She blinked every so often, never leaving her eyes open long enough for me to gaze into them again. I lifted her up and touched my lips to her forehead. Warm and soft… just perfect.

"Hello, sweet girl. You're just too precious for words, you know that?" I asked, pressing my lips to her forehead again. I breathed in and she smelled so amazing. "God, I feel like the world just got better because of you. I never want to let you go."

"She's a beautiful little girl, Dr. Cullen," Dr. Maggie West, Gracie's pediatrician, said.

"Thank you. I never realized how beautiful a baby could be before her."

"Well, she's certainly a cutie."

"So… how is she?"

She touched Gracie's little hand and smiled. "She's wonderful. You have a very strong girl here. She's done very well over the past few hours. I don't see any signs of complications."

"Can I take her out of the nursery? I want Esme to wake up to her."

She nodded. "I think that's fine. I'll come by to check on her later. You all should spend the day bonding."

I walked back to Esme's room with Gracie securely in my arms. The nurse had told me when she was last fed formula, so it was time for her to nurse again. She told me a lactation counselor would come by and show Esme how to nurse properly. Last night, we didn't have much time with Gracie, so Esme never got the chance to learn everything. Melissa told Esme what to do at the time, but a better understanding was still needed.

I walked into the room quietly and found Esme still asleep. I held Gracie close to me with one arm as I reached out to Esme's shoulder with the other.

I shook her lightly and said, "Beautiful, someone's here to see you."

She groaned softly, but managed to open her eyes. When she realized who I had in my arms, she smiled weakly. She was still so tired. "Hi, baby girl," she whispered, extending her hand and touching Gracie.

"Is this a good way to wake up?"

She nodded, pulling herself into a sitting position, wincing some from her soreness. She held her hands out and said, "Can I have her?"

"Of course." I rested Gracie in her arms, and she pulled her close to her chest.

Not long after bringing Gracie to Esme, the lactation counselor came by. She stayed for a while and showed Esme what she needed to do. Gracie fed easily. It all came so naturally to her and Esme. Though she had read books, Esme was grateful for the assistance the counselor provided. The hands-on approach was perfect, and by the time the woman left, Esme felt confident to be able to feed Gracie on her own next time; though, the counselor did say she'd be around if Esme needed her.

I waited patiently for Gracie to finish, and when she did, Esme held her close and moved over so I could join them. Gracie's eyes stayed closed. Esme put her face close to our daughter's and kissed her forehead.

"She smells so good!" Esme exclaimed.

I laughed softly and lifted Gracie's hand to kiss it. "She really does."

"It's just… indescribable."

"The most amazing thing in the world," I agreed.

Around noon, after Esme had taken a nap and Gracie had fed again, everyone came by to meet our daughter. Edward was the first to hold her, and then Bella and Rose. Gracie didn't like being passed around, so Emmett only had a moment with her before she showed how fed up she was. She was returned to me and quickly fell back asleep in my arms.

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><p>Esme and Gracie were released two days later. As we packed to leave, I held Gracie so Esme could pick out which outfit she wanted to take her home in. She kept going back and forth on a solid pink one-piece and a white with multi-colored polka dots. She just couldn't decide. It was quite funny to watch her waver back and forth. Apparently, this outfit mattered.<p>

"I like the white one," I said, just picking one.

She nodded and held it up again. "Yes, I do too. I think it's perfect. Put her down so I can change her."

After changing Gracie's diaper, Esme put her in the one-piece easily. I put the mittens back on Gracie's hands with a smile, kissing each hand before sliding the pink mitten on.

"All right," Esme said. "I guess it's time to go."

"I'll grab the nurse," I said, kissing her softly as she picked Gracie up out of the bassinet.

"I don't see why I need a wheelchair," she mumbled.

"Hospital policy, beautiful. Just go with it."

I took Gracie from Esme once I was back in the room with the nurse. Esme sat down with a little huff. I smirked and handed her Gracie back. I grabbed the bags and followed behind them.

When we got to the car, I opened the back door and made sure the car seat was perfectly secure again — just in case. Esme gave me Gracie and I strapped her in. The nurse made sure she was buckled correctly, and then gave us the go-ahead to leave. It was finally time to take our little girl home. Esme climbed in the back with our daughter as I drove, very slowly, home. I stayed just under the speed limit, making the short drive a little longer than usual. I had to be careful with such precious passengers.

"We're home, Gracie," Esme said, smiling at our rear-facing daughter.

I wanted to buy one of those mirrors so I could see her, but I hadn't thought of it before. I was sure she stayed sleeping, but those twenty minutes without seeing her face were so hard.

I carried Gracie's car seat into the house, leaving the bags for later. I had my girls home, and that was all that mattered. Bringing the car seat into the nursery, I placed it on the changing table so Esme could get Gracie out.

Esme held her to her chest as I wrapped my arm around Esme and rested my other hand on Gracie. Everything was just… perfect.

"I love you, Esme," I said, kissing her softly.

She smiled. "I love you, too. Thank you."

"Oh, Esme, thank _you_. You've brought me such happiness, and now, you've given me a daughter. I couldn't, and don't want to, imagine a life without you."

_The End…_

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><p><strong>AN:** I'm giving you fair warning. This author's note shall be long…

**Thank you** to every single person who has read, reviewed, rec'd, and favorite this story. I read and respond to every review. If you've reviewed anonymously, I couldn't reply, but thank you.

Thank you, Mel, Kelley, Alex, Katie, and everyone else who has WC'd with me.

Thank you, Mel, for being my first beta and saving this story from certain doom. You're fantastic! The support you offer saves this story!

Thank you, Lisa, for being an amazing beta and teaching me things I never knew. Truly, I feel so lucky to have been paired with you because of SparklyRedPen. And thanks for the Boot Camps!

Thank you, Katie, for being the greatest prereader. You've caught so many little things I overlooked and made the story better because of it.

Thank you, the admins at SparklyRedPen, for giving me a second beta and awesome prereader.

Thank you, Gretchen, for letting me bounce ideas off of you and being my all around support for everything, not just fic related.

**Just thank you, everyone! **

**Now, onto my next endeavor…**

I am currently writing another story. I'm three chapters in, but I'm not going to post until I have more of it written. I want to update regularly.

Angels Among Us Summary:

_To find her true love, she had to lose the child that saved her. He had to discover life didn't always end once time of death was called. There was an afterlife. An angel… a ghost, whatever you wanted to call her brought them together in the most unusual way._

Truthfully, I'm not sure how to describe this new story. It's definitely different. But it is a Carlisle and Esme story. I'll just say it right now: it does have a happily ever after. It'll be a hard story because it is very sad at times, but it has good times, as well. Expect it around the first of the new year.

**While you wait**, why don't you check out my other stories? Namely She is Love and its sequel, which is a work in progress.

**I've donated an outtake of You Redeem Me to Fandom For Texas.** To read, please donate. They really need our help. Banner is on my profile, as well as a link to the site where a teaser is posted.

**Lastly, **I may post future-takes from time to time, so be on the lookout. Follow me on twitter (anhanninen) to stay up-to-date.

**Please Review…**


	26. Outtake: The Meeting

**Thank you so much! **To the amazing HollettLA and MelissaMargaret who beta'd this for me.

**Also! **Thank you to my prereader Shattered Glass Rose.

**A/N: **This is the outtake I donated to Fandom for Texas. It's set about ten years before the start of You Redeem Me. This was the first time Carlisle and Esme met. I hope you all enjoy!

**Please REVIEW! As everyone says 'I do not own Twilight or any characters from Twilight' so no one can sue!**

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><p><strong>Esme's POV<strong>

When I got off the plane in Boston, I couldn't help but grin. Eddie was going to be so happy and surprised. I wasn't supposed to arrive until tomorrow, but I changed my flight so I could surprise him. He had been talking about this since I said I wanted to come visit Harvard. Would I actually go to Harvard? No, but it was an excuse to get to come see him.

Since he had been so busy in his last year of medical school, I hadn't seen him since Christmas. That was almost four months ago. My brother and I were extremely close despite our age difference — nine years. He had basically been everything to me. When he lived in New York, he walked me home after school — even when he started college at Columbia. He'd make sure he didn't have a class during that time. He'd help me with homework, take me to museums, and even stand up for me when I was being made fun of when I was younger.

Since our parents tended to be… otherwise occupied, Eddie basically filled that role for me. When I was ten and my nanny was let go, he was the one who would take care of me, even though he had things going on that were way more important. He even gave me my own room in his apartment so I could stay over when no one was home. When he left for Harvard four years ago, I missed him terribly. He knew it, too. Before he left, he said he'd stay if I wanted him to. Though I kinda did, I told him to go. It was his dream to attend Harvard Medical School. He was so smart and deserved to go to the best school he could.

My brother, the doctor. To say I was proud would be an understatement — a huge one. He knew exactly what he wanted in life and went for it. He was only a month away now. For as long as I could remember, that was Eddie's dream. I loved helping him study. He'd have flashcards, and I'd quiz him after he helped me with my homework. He always got the answer right — my genius big brother. My hero.

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><p>I knocked, but there was no answer. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. I really hadn't thought my plan out. Eddie was probably still at the hospital. He had Saturday and Sunday off, but obviously not Friday. I had no idea what time he'd get home, so I was most likely stuck, sitting in front of his door for hours.<p>

Just for good measure, I knocked really, really hard one more time. Actually, I pounded. The door flew open and in front of me stood the cutest guy I had ever seen. But he looked a little angry, until his eyes rested on mine and he smiled.

"Esme?" he asked. His voice! It was so… sexy.

"Uh-huh," I said, wide-eyed and basically speechless.

"You're not supposed to be here until tomorrow."

"I… uh, wanted to surprise Eddie."

He laughed. Did I say something funny? "He's going to be surprised all right. Come on in." He opened the door wider for me.

I leaned down to grab my duffle, and he took it from me with a smile. "Thanks," I mumbled.

He let me in first, and then walked ahead of me. I couldn't take my eyes off of him. He was probably as tall as Edward, but more muscular. His t-shirt clung to him. He had short blond hair and blue eyes. He was so cute!

"You can make yourself comfortable. Edward's shift doesn't end for about another hour," he told me.

I walked over to the couch and sat down, kicking off my flip-flops. "So, who are you?" I asked.

He smirked. "I'm Carlisle — Edward's roommate. He hasn't told you about me?"

"Well, yeah, I just kinda spaced. He does talk about you a lot."

"Good things, I hope," he laughed, sitting down on the other side of the couch and grabbing a book.

"Yeah, of course."

"Well, I was sleeping, but since you're here, I guess that wouldn't be very polite."

"Oh! I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

He shook his head. "It's okay. I needed to get up anyway. I have a shift at eleven tonight."

"You're in school with Eddie, right? A medical student?"

I knew he was. Edward told me so, but I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to hear his voice.

"Yes, I am. I'll be starting my surgical residency soon."

I nodded. "Cool. So you want to be a surgeon?"

"Yeah, that's what I want." He smiled. "Edward said you're looking into Harvard?"

"Well, that's my excuse to come, but it's not like I'll actually go here. I'm not that smart."

He cocked his head. "Sure you are. I mean, if Eddie could get in, then I'm sure you can." He smirked.

"Eddie is a genius. And he lets you call him that, too?"

He laughed and shook his head. "He'll kill me if he finds out I said it. So don't tell him."

I smiled. "I won't."

He smiled back and I could feel my cheeks heating up. "So… surprising Edward, what made you think of doing that?"

"Oh, well, I just figured it'd be nice to do. A good surprise when he opened the door. I guess I didn't think it through, though, because I should have known he'd be at the hospital. I didn't know what his shift was. I know a few days ago he was on nights, so I assumed he still was."

"It changes a lot. But don't worry; he'll still be surprised when he gets home. You can hide in the closet or something," he chuckled.

"Jump out and yell 'surprise!'?"

His laugh was infectious. "Sure, why not."

Carlisle was beyond nice. He actually put down the book he was going to read and talked to me instead. He asked how school was, what classes I was in, and what I thought about doing after high school. College was a must in my family. My parents wouldn't accept anything less. Though, my ideas for careers didn't exactly make them proud like they were of Edward. I still hoped one day they'd understand I didn't want to follow in my father's or brother's footsteps. My mother didn't have a "career", per se. She was on the board of a few charities and helped organize fundraisers. I told Carlisle all about them.

"Edward doesn't talk about them much," he told me. "I knew your father was a lawyer, but I didn't know that about your mother. Edward didn't say... Well, he did, but it's not something I'd repeat."

"Yeah, he's not too fond of them. But they're busy, so it's understandable that they couldn't care for us like other parents."

"You're much more understanding than your brother. In fact, you're nothing like him," he laughed. "You're nice."

"Hey," I swatted his shoulder, "he's nice! He's very nice. Why else would you be friends with him?"

"He grew on me, let's just say. Seriously, though, he's nice to people he likes. Everyone else is screwed."

I frowned. "He's not happy?"

He shook his head. "I didn't say that. I think he's very happy. He's just a bit of an asshole sometimes."

"Don't say that. Eddie is not an asshole."

"I'm sorry. That's not the right word. He's just not as understanding of people as you are. But when it's someone he knows and cares about, or his patients, he's great."

"I guess he is kind of a downer. And so sarcastic!"

"Oh, God, yes!" he laughed. "That's probably the best word to describe him. I swear, more than half the words out of his mouth are sarcastic. I've wanted to deck him for it before."

Suddenly, we heard the door knob jiggle with a key in it. I jumped up and ran to hide behind the door. I got against the wall with a smirk. The door flew open much harder than I anticipated. It smacked me right in the face.

"Oh, no!" I yelled, putting my hand over my nose.

"What the fuck!" Edward yelled, rushing to pull the door closed. "Shit, Esme. What the hell are you doing back there?"

"It's broken, it's broken, owwwww," I cried.

He pulled my hand away from my face and blanched. "I am _so_ sorry! Carlisle, get me a towel, damn it!" he cursed.

I looked at my hand and saw blood. Eww, just… eww. I did not like the sight of blood. At. All. Carlisle rushed back to us with a dishtowel and handed it to Edward. He put it under my nose and pinched my nostrils together.

"Ouch!" I yelled, glaring at him.

"Sorry," he mumbled. He led me over to the small kitchen and had me sit down at the table. "We have a first aid kit, right, Carlisle?"

"Uh, yeah, somewhere," Carlisle said, opening the cabinets and beginning to search.

"I try to surprise you, and you break my nose!" I huffed.

"Stop talking… Yeah, and I'm sorry, but that was your own fault. Behind the door? Really?"

I flung my arms in the air. "Surprise! Now take me to the hospital."

He pulled the towel away and titled my head. "It's stopping. You're fine."

I huffed. "It's broken."

"No, it isn't. Here," he put his fingers on the bridge of my nose and felt around, "no crunching or displacement. It's not broken."

"It hurts."

"Well, I just hit you with a door. That's not surprising."

I scowled. "Jerk."

He cocked his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

I heard Carlisle chuckling from a few feet away as he filled up a baggie with ice. "Here," he said, handing it to Edward.

"Thanks, man." He pressed the baggie to my nose. I jerked away from the coldness. "Hold still and keep the ice on. It'll bring down swelling. The bleeding is stopping, so I think you'll be okay. I am sorry," he told me.

"I know," I sighed.

He pulled the ice away and titled my head back again. "Yeah," he nodded, "I don't think it's bleeding anymore. I'm going to clean it up, okay?"

I nodded, staying silent. He went over to the sink where Carlisle had set the first aid kit before leaving the room. I wondered where he went. Eddie brought the kit over and sat down in front of me. He pulled a few of those alcohol packets out and tore one open. He put his index finger under my chin and had me tilt my head back once more. As gently as he could, he cleaned my mouth and under my nose with a few pads. Then he grabbed a small flashlight from the kit and shined it up my nose. I looked down at him as he looked into my nose intently.

"Find any treasure?" I smiled softly, teasing him.

He smirked, laughing a bit. "Nope, and nothing looks deformed and no new bleeding. Unless you really don't trust my judgment, I don't think a hospital is necessary."

"Nah, I trust you, Eddie."

He smiled so big. "God, I missed that, sissy."

"So, surprise, I came early."

"It would have been an even better surprise if you hadn't been hiding behind that door. It sticks, so we have to hit it with our shoulders to get it open sometimes."

"Yeah, that wasn't one of my brightest ideas, but it was definitely a surprise."

"Indeed. So… there is nothing to eat here but ramen. And I'm guessing you don't want to go out. Is pizza okay?"

"That's fine. I'm gonna go to the bathroom." He helped me stand up. "Um… where is it?"

"Oh, just down the hall. Second door on your right." He pointed.

My nose didn't really look that bad. It was a little swollen, but that was all. The worst part was how embarrassing it was. I got hit in the face with a door… In front of Carlisle, who was just, well, freaking cute.

When I got back to the living area, Carlisle was in the kitchen — cleaning dishes in the sink — and Edward was nowhere to be found. I sat down on the couch, not knowing what else to do.

"Edward is changing his sheets for you," Carlisle told me.

"Oh, he didn't have to do that. This couch seems comfortable."

He laughed. "Trust me, it's not. Besides, he wouldn't dare make you sleep out here."

"But if it's so uncomfortable, then he shouldn't have to. I didn't realize how small this place is."

"Well, it's close to the hospital and we both fit well in it, so it works for us. It's just a little small when we have company, which we normally don't. If I wind up stepping on your toes, let me know. I tend to be everywhere here. My favorite place to study is in the living room, but I'll try to stay out of your way if you're doing something."

"Oh, no, it's fine. Let _me _know if I'm in your way. I'm sorry if I disrupted your routine."

"No!" he said. "When Edward told me you were coming, I was glad. He talks about you a lot. I couldn't wait to meet the famous Esme," he chuckled. "You're everything to him."

I blushed. Eddie and his lies. "I hardly think I'm 'famous' or everything to him."

He walked over to the couch and sat down. "No, you are. I swear. Wait until you see his room; he has pictures of you two on his bookshelf. None of your parents or anything — just you two. It's… sweet." He grinned.

"What are you telling her?" Eddie asked, coming into the room.

"All lies about how you wouldn't shut up about her getting here," Carlisle said.

"Oh, that? Yeah, sissy, total lies. I wasn't looking forward to it at all."

I smiled. "Me either. I was dreading it," I teased.

"So, what kind of pizza do you want? Pepperoni and ham with extra cheese still?"

I nodded. "You remembered."

"Of course," he said. "Like I could forget that. Carlisle, I told you how we'd order pizza every time she stayed over, remember? The pizza guy knew our order by heart," he laughed.

"Yes, I remember," Carlisle said. "You also told me about the time the order was mixed up and, how old was Esme? Thirteen? You said she ate the olives just so you wouldn't be mad."

"Oh, no," I groaned. "You do talk about me, Eddie, and _way_ too much!"

Edward and Carlisle laughed together. "The stories are sweet if that makes it any better," Carlisle said with a smile.

"Not really," I said, blushing. "I'm pretty mortified imagining what else he's told you."

"Don't sorry, sissy, I never told him about the time you ripped your pants at school and called me to bring you some. And since I couldn't get into Mother and Father's house, I bought a pair that kept falling down, showing those Hello Kitty undies," Eddie said with an evil grin.

I threw a pillow at him. "You! I was nine! Okay? Nine! And I still can't believe you thought I was that big. Those pants were huge!"

He laughed. "I was confused. I was an eighteen year old shopping for girls' pants. It was a bit awkward."

Carlisle ducked his head to hide his laughter, which only grew louder with ours. "I'm sorry," he said. "But Edward did tell me about that."

My jaw dropped. "You are horrible, Eddie!"

"What? When did I tell you that?"

"Her last birthday… When you asked what you should buy her. I told you clothes or something, and you told me how you don't buy her clothes because of that."

"Oh, yeah." Eddie grinned. "I forgot. Oops, sorry, Es."

I scowled at him, making my nose hurt. "Order my pizza. Oh, and I want something chocolatey for dessert. I think I deserve it after being hit in the face."

"I am truly sorry, sissy. Please? Forgive me?"

I pretended to contemplate it, but my smile gave away my decision. "Of course, after I get the chocolate."

While we waited for the pizza guy, I went into Eddie's room to change. Carlisle was right. He had a lot of pictures of us on his bookshelf. It was funny, actually. I had just as many — if not more — of us in my own room. It made me feel good that he hadn't forgotten about me in his new life away from New York. I had always feared we'd grow apart with being away from each other. We talked on the phone once a week, but that hadn't entirely convinced me. It just made me happy to know he cared so much still — enough to talk about me. He was the best big brother.

After putting my PJs on and tying my hair back, I slipped into my fuzzy slippers and went back into the living room. I quickly realized how childish I looked. Yeah, fuzzy slippers… Gah! Carlisle looked up and smiled. I wanted to just die!

"Ha!" Eddie laughed. "I may not buy clothes, but I do buy slippers. Glad to see you're getting some use out of them."

I blushed. "Yes, I wear them all the time. They're super comfortable."

He nodded. "Good. So… since I hadn't planned on you being here, I don't know what we should do. Movie?"

"Yep, that sounds good. Do you have popcorn?"

"Damn, no, I don't. I'll go get some after dinner."

"Oh, don't worry about it then. It's not that big of a deal."

"It's just down the street. I'll be back within ten minutes. It's fine."

I walked over to Eddie's cabinet of movies. He had so many, but he had always had lots of movies. I swear, all of them were action and, to be honest, none of them looked very good. I settled on one that didn't seem too gory and pulled it out. This one was a DVD instead of a VHS. Eddie had both players. I think he jumped at the DVD player when it came out because he had already amassed quite the collection.

"What do you do? Watch movies every night?" I asked, handing him the case.

"No, not every night. They're just a good way to unwind after studying." He smiled "Besides, my collection is boss. Find something good?" He looked at the case and shrugged. "Eh, good enough."

"What? You don't like my choice? You know, we could always go to the video store and rent Titanic. I'd love to see that again. It's been a few years."

He looked appalled. "Oh, hell no. I was dragged to that in theaters by some chick. Never _ever_ again."

"Ah, but it was so good. I cried so much."

"He died! She let his ass drown. That's not good; it's fucking horrible. Her ass could have moved over."

"Whatever. I loved it. You just don't know what's romantic. Giving up your life for the woman you love…" I put my hand over my heart. "So romantic."

He rolled his eyes as someone knocked on the door. "Pizza's here."

We ate at the little dining room table. The pizza was definitely good, but the best part was the piece of chocolate cake. Eddie only got one slice, and since I couldn't eat all of it, I gave the rest of it to him.

"What about me?" Carlisle asked with a sly grin. "Maybe I want cake."

I giggled, took the paper plate from Edward, and slid it to him. Eddie was not happy! He stole it back before Carlisle could take a bite and shoved the rest in his mouth. I laughed so hard.

"You never learned to share, did you?" Carlisle asked him.

"Nope, and I don't plan on starting," he mumbled with a full mouth.

"You two are hilarious. And Eddie, don't talk with your mouth full," I laughed.

"I'll never learn, sissy, so you can stop telling me."

"I'll never stop. You need to learn some manners."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm nine years older than her, and she treats me like _I'm_ the child," he told Carlisle.

"Well," Carlisle started, "you do act like a child sometimes."

"Also!" I butted in. "I'm not a child. I'm seventeen."

"Child, talk to me when you're eighteen," he laughed.

"It's in three months! I turn eighteen in June."

"That's three more months of you being a child then, sissy."

"Technically, he's right," Carlisle said.

I got a little angry. "Carlisle called you Eddie, Eddie."

"Esme!" Carlisle exclaimed.

"Really?" Edward asked, scowling. "You called me that… to her?"

"I was kidding, and she said she wasn't going to tell you."

"And that makes it okay? That's fucking mean. Don't call me that shit. I'm serious."

"But I can call you that," I said, grinning. "I'll always be allowed to call you Eddie."

"Only because I can call you sissy, but if he tries that again, hit him. I'm serious — deck his ass."

I laughed and Carlisle looked offended. "I'm going to the hospital early tonight. It's obvious I'm not appreciated here." A small smirk formed on his lips. "And Esme, I'll get you back for that. I swear."

"Oh, I'm shaking," I giggled.

Once he got back from the store and made the popcorn, Eddie and I settled into the couch to watch the movie as Carlisle went to shower for work. I put a pillow on Eddie's shoulder and rested my head on it.

"I missed you, big brother," I said.

He wrapped his arm around me. "I missed you too, sissy. I'm so glad you're here for the next few days."

"Me too. What are we doing tomorrow?"

"Well, I thought I'd show you around campus. You'll like it, Es. When are you taking your SATs?"

"In a few weeks. I brought my book to study, but I probably won't open it this weekend."

"Well, you need to. Having good scores will open a lot of doors for you. You're so smart, and your grades show that, but that's not the only thing that'll get you into college. You should apply for senior internships like I did. That'll look really good on an application."

"Eddie, I'm not going to Harvard. You know that, right? I'm probably going to apply to state schools and hope I get in."

He looked at me, disappointed. "You can get in. You just have to sell yourself."

"I'm not smart enough. It's fine, okay? I just said that I wanted to see the campus as an excuse to visit you."

He sighed. "You can do whatever you put your mind to. I think you should apply here. You never know."

"I don't even know what I want to do with my life. It'd be silly to apply to such a great school while being so undecided. What would I say? 'I someday hope to do something with my life. I just don't know what, but please, accept me into your Ivy League school.' Who would even consider accepting someone like that?"

"I just don't like you selling yourself short. You'll do something amazing with your life. I just know it," he said. "By the way, we need to get some more ice on your nose. It's looking a little… eh."

"Crap," I exclaimed, touching my nose. "I'm going to have a black eye, aren't I?"

"Probably two." I must have looked horrified because he quickly continued. "But maybe not."

"That doesn't give me much hope, Eddie."

"It's not broken, so you might not. Or they might be really light. I'm sure you can cover them up with makeup."

"Yeah, I guess," I sighed, moving over so he could get up.

Carlisle left at ten-thirty on the dot. Eddie and I continued to watch our movie, and then another. He chose… I didn't exactly like it. Well, I didn't like the first one either, but I didn't care. All that mattered was that I was watching them with Eddie.

* * *

><p>The next day, Eddie showed me all around campus and told me stories about his time here. He said he hadn't made many friends except Carlisle. Of course, I had to ask about girlfriends. He rolled his eyes and told me he learned quickly that all of his focus needed to be on school. He hadn't been on a date since summer, which was almost a year ago. I then made the silly mistake of asking him about Carlisle.<p>

"What?" he asked, incredulously.

"I… uh, I'm just asking."

He laughed. "Carlisle dates. That's all you need to know."

My face fell. "Oh, okay. I just figured since you don't, he doesn't either."

"He's pretty much a genius, Es. He studies a lot, but he can do other things and still stay focused. Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't. I was just curious."

"Sissy have a little crush?" he teased.

My cheeks heated up. "No."

"He's five years older than you. Don't even think about it."

"Only five years?"

"Only five years? That's what you ask?" he laughed. "I'm checking you into a hotel."

"That's not what I meant! Please, don't. I just meant he should be your age, right?"

"Genius, remember?"

"Oh, right."

"So I don't need to put you in a hotel to keep you away from him?"

I rolled my eyes. "I'm seventeen. Look at the flower in my hair!" I pointed.

"You're pretty fucking innocent still. Keep it that way forever, got it?"

"Not forever," I told him. "Someday, I'm going to get married and have kids," I sighed hopefully.

"Try not to think about that. You have some great years coming up. Don't mess them up by making a decision you'll regret. That will be waiting for you when you're older. Enjoy being young while you can."

"You talk like you're some wise, old man," I laughed. "You're twenty-six."

"And I'm still enjoying my youth, so don't try growing up too fast. Stay my baby sister forever, please?" He pulled me into his side as we walked. "Stay… you."

I looked up at him and smiled. "I'll always be me. Nothing will change that."

"Good, now let's head back to the apartment. You need to touch up that makeup before I take you to a fancy restaurant," he laughed.

The fancy restaurant wasn't exactly what I had imagined. In fact, if Eddie thought a sports bar and grill was fancy, he needed his head checked. I looked like I was trying a little hard because of my outfit. Thankfully, though, my dress wasn't all that fancy. It was just nice.

"So… what do you want to eat?" Eddie asked me.

"Well, my options range from steak, wings, or a burger… I'll probably go with a burger and fries."

"Oh, the burgers are fucking awesome here… And huge!" He suddenly looked past me and waved his hand. "I told you Carlisle is meeting us here, right?"

My jaw probably dropped. The dress was not what I wanted to be seen in by Carlisle of all people. "No."

"Hey," Carlisle said, smiling as he motioned for me to scoot over.

_Oh, God! He's sitting next to me?_

"Hey, man, sleep well?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. How was the campus?" Carlisle turned to me. "Did you like it?"

_Find your voice, Esme!_ I screamed at myself in my head.

"Uh-huh," I said. "It was nice."

He smiled and my cheeks heated up. "Good."

"I'll go grab you a beer," Eddie said, standing up.

He was leaving me alone with Carlisle? Oh, that was wonderful. What with my cheeks being redder than a dang tomato as I sat very close to the guy I was pretty sure I had a crush on.

_Pretty sure? Ha!_

"So, what are getting?" Carlisle asked.

"A burger."

"Good choice. Edward and I eat here a lot. I've had just about everything on the menu. If you like bacon, make sure you get some on it. They do great bacon."

I nodded. "Okay. I like bacon."

I wanted to slap myself. My responses were so… lame.

He smiled again and picked up the menu. "I think I'll have a steak tonight."

"Steak's good."

"It is." He nodded. "Are you getting something chocolate for dessert again? Because it's my turn to have your leftovers."

"Sure," I laughed. "You'll have to fight Eddie, though."

"I can take him." He winked.

I was pretty sure he knew I had a crush on him at that point. Winking? Who does that? It was kinda cruel if he was doing that to me on purpose. He did say he'd get me back for telling Eddie about the nickname thing. Maybe this was it? Just… ugh, if that was the case. I was embarrassed — so flipping embarrassed.

Eddie came back with two beers. A new one for himself, and Carlisle's. I sipped my Coke through the straw, trying to not look at Carlisle again. Eddie would need to get a new roommate if he ever wanted me to visit again. A less attractive one, preferably. Actually, that would be a demand. No cute roommates with blue eyes that winked at me.

"How is everything back home?" Eddie asked.

I looked up. "Oh, the usual. Mother and Father aren't home much still. Father wants to know what I want to major in once I graduate. He wasn't too happy with my answer of I had no clue."

He rolled his eyes. "He's rarely happy, so forget about him. How's the painting going? Win any more contests?"

"You paint?" Carlisle asked.

I shrugged. "A little. I'm really not that good. I mostly like to draw."

"She's great. If she'd send me anything of hers, it'd be up on one of the walls in the apartment."

"He lies," I told Carlisle.

Carlisle laughed. "I'm sure he's not lying about this."

"I'm not," Eddie said. "Give her a pencil and paper, and she'll amaze you."

"Well, I need to see this."

I shook my head. "No."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

"All right, but I'm sure you're amazing. Still, I hope to one day see something you've drawn," he said, smiling.

The dang blush kept creeping up. "Maybe. I guess you never know."

Dinner came, and we ate with some light conversation. Eddie and Carlisle talked about the hospital. I was pretty spaced out, trying not to look at Carlisle and messing with my French fries. It didn't really work. When he'd laugh, I couldn't stop myself from glancing over at him. He was… kinda beautiful.

I wondered why he was eating with us. Eddie said he dated and it was Saturday night, so why wasn't he out? I figured he had to work or something tonight or tomorrow. It made sense that he wouldn't go out if he had to work.

"So you don't have school Monday?" Carlisle asked.

"What?" I asked.

"I asked if you had school Monday."

"Oh, technically I do, but I'm skipping. I never miss, so taking Friday and Monday off wasn't a big deal. My parents didn't care anyway."

"Skipping school," Edward mused, with a laugh. "My sissy is a rebel."

"I'm just badass," I laughed.

"And she curses! Carlisle, we've corrupted her!"

"No, you've corrupted her," Carlisle said. "I could probably count the times I've cursed in front of her on one hand, and I wouldn't even need all my fingers."

"He's right, Eddie. I've spent seventeen years listening to that potty mouth of yours. It's all your fault."

"I have not been cursing since I was nine," he defended.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think that's the point."

He smirked. "Fine. I take full responsibility for your badass-ness. What's next, Es? Tattoo? Piercing?"

"Um… no. I think I'll move on to saying 'fuck' like you do," I laughed.

"Please, don't," he said. "You're too sweet to do that. Don't you agree, Carlisle?"

Carlisle nodded. "Way too sweet." I blushed. "Take the blush for example. That's just the sweetest thing."

My cheeks kept getting hotter. He said something I did was "the sweetest thing". I just… I couldn't stop blushing. If it were possible to die from blushing too much, I'd be six feet under. My brother's roommate was going to be the death of me.

That night, Carlisle went to work while Eddie and I watched movies. We had stopped at the video store on our way home from the restaurant, and he let me pick out a movie. I made him swear he'd watch it with me before I grabbed anything. He said as long as it wasn't Titanic, he'd watch it. I chose a sappy romantic comedy. He looked pained when I showed him the DVD case.

I fell asleep that night with my feet in Edward's lap as the movie played. I woke up the next morning to find myself in his bed. It was still early — nine in the morning — so I decided to make breakfast. Eddie was sound asleep on the couch, and I knew Carlisle would be home around eleven or so. At least, I assumed so because of yesterday.

I quietly looked through the fridge and cabinets, finding nothing to make breakfast with. I wrote out a little note and stuck it on the fridge in case Eddie woke up before I got back, and then headed to the store just down the street. I quickly paid for the eggs, milk, cheese, bread, butter, and bacon before hurrying back to the apartment.

The one thing I hadn't thought of was a key. I had made sure the door was locked behind me when I left, so now I was locked out again. I really wanted Eddie to wake up to the smell of bacon frying, but I was going to have to knock so he'd let me in. The surprise was ruined.

"What are you doing out here?" Carlisle asked, causing me to jump.

I put my hand over my heart as it quickly beat in my chest. "Oh God, you scared me," I said.

He smiled and picked up one of the bags I had set down. "Sorry. So you went shopping?"

"I'm making breakfast. I wanted it to be a surprise. What are you doing here?"

"I was let off early. It was just something nice my resident did. To say I was shocked would be an understatement," he laughed. "Um, why haven't you gone in?"

"Oh, well… I kinda locked myself out," I said, ducking my head in embarrassment.

He… laughed at me. Well, that was nice.

"I'm sorry," he said, laying his hand over his stomach. "It's just funny. You're embarrassed, aren't you?"

I looked up meekly. "Very."

"Don't be. I think it's sweet that you're making breakfast for Edward. I'm only laughing because Edward always locks himself out. It's weird that you two do the same thing is all."

"Well, we are siblings. We have to have some common traits. Like forgetting keys," I giggled.

He pulled his keys out of his pocket. "True. So… since I'm letting you in, does that mean I get some?" He smirked.

I sighed, trying to play it cool. "I guess."

"Good, because I'm pretty quick. I could get in and lock you out," he teased.

I about hit his shoulder like I would have Eddie for messing with me, but I was pretty sure touching him wouldn't end well for me. I wanted my heart to continue beating.

I entered the apartment quickly — so not to wake up a still snoring Eddie on the couch. Carlisle wasn't as quiet, though. He threw his keys down on the counter loudly.

"Shhh!" I said, pressing my finger over my lips.

"He's not going to wake up," he told me. "That guy has to sleep with his pager against his face; otherwise, he'd never hear it. He sleeps like the dead!" he laughed.

He was right. Eddie was the hardest person to wake up. Still, I didn't want to chance it. "Just… try to be quiet?"

"For you… all right." That freaking smile was getting annoying. He had to know what it did to me. The blush arose every time! I was beginning to think Carlisle Cullen was cocky, but he just seemed too sweet to be cocky. Maybe it was just his way of messing with me. I still thought it was cruel, though.

I quickly fried the bacon and made the scrambled eggs, adding just the right amount of cheese that I knew Eddie liked. Not long after the bacon started smelling amazing, Eddie sat up on the couch.

"Dear, God… I'm not sure this place has ever smelled better," he mumbled, getting off the couch and coming into the kitchen area.

My face held a smug grin as he ran his hand through his maim of hair. "I thought you'd like it," I said.

"Oh, yes." His hand reached out for the bacon I already had on a paper towel.

"No!" I said, swatting his hand away. "You can wait. I still have to do the toast."

"But, sissy," he whined, jutting his lip out. "Just one piece?"

I rolled my eyes. "Five minutes. You can wait that. Go… do something with that mess of hair," I laughed.

"You're cruel. And my hair is just fine. I'll just sit here and watch you. It'll make you uncomfortable, and you'll give in and let me have some," he said, sitting down at table at watching me.

"Uh-huh… that's not going to work," I said, putting the slices of bread in the toaster.

As I waited for the toast, I leaned against the counter and watched him watch me. He started me down, and I stared right back. When the first set of toast was done, I grabbed it out and put more in. I buttered the done pieces, and then went back to staring at Eddie.

"You're good at this," he said.

"I learned from the best."

"Good morning, sleepyhead," Carlisle said, coming into the kitchen area. He looked at us and laughed. "What the hell did I just walk in on?"

"Staring match… She's good," Eddie told him.

"You're not getting the bacon," I said.

"But I love you."

"And I love you, but you can wait."

"Oh, this bacon?" Carlisle asked, grabbing a piece off the plate. He put it in his mouth before I could stop him.

"You jerk!" I exclaimed.

"He got one, so get one!" Eddie called, snatching a piece of bacon off the plate.

The toast popped up. "You know what? Butter your own toast and make your own plates. I was going to do all of that for you, but do it yourself," I said. "Impatient meanies," I mumbled.

Eddie laughed. "Aww, we're not meanies. If anything, you should take it as a compliment. We couldn't wait to eat your food."

"Mmm-hmm, or maybe you're just hungry and could eat anything."

"Sissy, you know how I love your cooking. How about you sit down, and I'll make your plate first. I'll even finish the toast."

I smiled. "And do dishes?"

"Sure."

"Okay. Thank you, Eddie."

After breakfast, I sat and watched Eddie and Carlisle do all the dishes. I got a little kick out of it. Eddie never did dishes. In New York, he didn't even have dishes besides the usual pots, pans, and spatulas — which he only had for me. He used paper plates, plastic cups, and plastic silverware for everything. The guy hated doing the dishes — probably because he never had to. At home, I didn't _have_ to do them, but I refused to let the maid clean up my mess. It wasn't right. Eddie didn't follow that same philosophy.

Eddie and I spent the day around Boston. We did a little shopping and sightseeing. It was just nice to spend the time with my big brother. We talked about his graduation, which was coming up quickly. My parents wouldn't miss it for the world. Any other event, they'd have no issues missing, but this was his medical school graduation. They took pride in that. Apparently, such an achievement made them look good as well.

"So in a few months I get to call you Dr. Masen, right? Dr. Eddie Masen," I giggled, wrapping my arm around Eddie's.

"It's Dr. _Edward_ Masen. That nickname needs to be kept private."

"Uh-huh… I'm not going to have something monogrammed to say Eddie. I promise."

"Liar."

"I guess I should get something for Carlisle too, right?"

He sighed. "Carlisle isn't attending graduation. He has an amazing opportunity to go to Africa. He leaves after finals are over. He'll get his diploma when he gets back and starts his surgical residency."

"Oh…"

So I wasn't going to be seeing Carlisle again at the graduation… That kinda sucked. But I guess he was doing what he wanted. Going to Africa did seem pretty cool.

"Yeah, I feel bad for this, but I wish he weren't going. I wanted to graduate with my best friend. But I understand that he has something better to do. It's truly an amazing opportunity."

"What's he doing in Africa?"

"He's volunteering at a clinic under a really amazing doctor."

"Wow, that is great."

He nodded. "I applied too, but I didn't get accepted. The guy chooses a handful of people each year. His biggest hope is to show the new graduates where they're really needed once they finish residency. He hopes seeing it up close will convince people to join him permanently someday."

"Do you think Carlisle will go back?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Carlisle wants to be a trauma surgeon. He'd be a big asset in the jungle."

"You don't want him to."

He shook his head. "No, because I'm selfish. Carlisle moves to the jungle, and I'll never see him again. We'll probably lose touch, and I'll lose my one true friend… Besides you, of course."

"You really didn't have many friends. I think you're kinda a loner," I said.

"Thanks, sissy."

"You know I'm just kidding… kinda."

He laughed and pulled me into his side as we walked. "I love you."

"I love you too, Eddie."

* * *

><p>Monday came too fast. I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Eddie, but I had to. I said a quick goodbye to Carlisle before Eddie and I left for the airport. I wondered if I'd ever see Carlisle again. I hoped I would because he seemed like a great guy and a good friend for Eddie. Not to mention I had the biggest crush on him. Yeah, I knew he was five years older than me and probably wouldn't have looked twice if I wasn't his roommate's sister, but he was… special. He was nice and really sweet during my time in Boston. There was just something about him, and I didn't think it was just his good looks. But those certainly didn't hurt.<p>

"Okay, you have everything, right?" Eddie asked.

"Yep. I'm good to go."

He pulled me into his arms. "I'm going to miss you, sissy. It was so great to have you here this weekend. Thank you for coming."

We pulled apart. "Thanks for having me. I had a great time… Even with the busted nose," I laughed.

"Yeah, sorry about that. It looks pretty good, though. I can't even tell."

"Liar."

"It's a touch swollen, but that'll go down quickly. Your eyes look fine."

"Hey, at least it wasn't broken."

"Very true."

I threw my arms back around his neck as tears filled my eyes. He just held me there.

"I love you, Es."

"I love you too, Eddie. I don't want to go home," I cried.

"Shh, I know. I don't want you to leave, either. But we'll see each other soon. Graduation is just around the corner. I'll even spend my break back in New York. How does that sound?"

I nodded in the crook of his neck. "Please?"

He pulled back and kissed my forehead. "You have to go. Don't want to miss your flight."

"I kinda do," I said, smiling sadly.

"Well, you can't. Call me when you get home, okay?"

"Okay."

"Bye, sissy."

"Bye, Eddie. I'm gonna miss you."

"And I'll miss you, too." He smiled. "Go."

I walked away with tears in my eyes. I looked back quickly and saw Eddie wiping his own cheeks. Like brother like sister, I suppose.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Thank you all so much for reading! I'm not sure when I'll start my next Carlisle and Esme story, but in the meantime, I have an Edward and Bella story that started in November. Check it out, along with my others. Thanks!

**Please Review…**


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